64

t-, J-
DTPARTMENTS
6 SronAGE I Oueslol & Aruswen
Solunorus 14 WonrsHoP Tlps
Ingenious ways to organize
tools and shop supplies. 20 Weu-EoutppED SHop
26 MooEnru CeerNerMAKER:

5B
Dnl lruorceron Turue-Ups
38 Toor- Talr:
CnnrrsMAN Fnnnne Ourcrc-CHANGE
CHucrs
Pegged half-lapjoints 86 Svall Snop Trps
distinguish a classic
Arts and Crafts
picture frame.

Specnl

Trps FoR
66 SuescnrPTtoNs
AmericanWoodworkerSubscriberServiceDept.,
MnsrERtNc (800)66C3111,
P0. Box8148,RedOak,lA 51591-1148,
e-mailA\rVWcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com
FenrHERBoAFtDs
Article Index
Seven simple techniques A completeindexis availableonlineat
to make machining more www.americanwoodworker.com
accurate, easier and safer. Copiesof Past Articles
Photocopies are availablefor 93 each.Write or call:
AmericanWoodworkerReprintCenter,PO.Box
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Tool Rrvlew:
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B.qcryanD SAWM|LLS ReprintCenterat the addressabove. J

J
d
What it's like to turn Comments& Suggestions
o
trees into boards with Writeto us at AmericanWoodworker,
29'15CommersDr.,Suite700,Eagan,MN 55121, F

, a portable sawmill. (651)454-9200, fax (651)994-2250, -

L
e-mailaweditor@ readersdigest.com ar
t!

American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 Subscription questions? See page 2.

Editor Ken Collier

Managing Editor RandyJohnson
Senior Editor Tom Caspar
Associate Editors TimJoluson
Dave Munkittrick
Tools and Products Editor George Vondriska
Contributing Eclitor Jon Stumbras
Dcsign Director' Sara Koehler
Art Directors Patrick Hunter
VernJohnson
Oopy Eclitor Jean Cook
Fact Ohecking Specialists Jennifer Feist
Nina ChildiJohnson
Production Manager Judy Rodriguez
Production Artist Lisa Pahl Knecht
Offi ce Administrative Managcr Alice Garrett
Technical Manager' Shannon Hooge
Readel Service Specialist Roxie Filipkowski
Adrninistrative Assistants Lori Callister
ShellyJacobsen

Publisher Jim Schiekofer

AssociatePublisher Rick Straface
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6 American Woodworker JANUARY 2oos

 l've been told that the gray
f)
\lwheels that came with my
grinder will burn my woodworking
tools and that white wheelsare bet-
ter.True?

The stock wheels that come

with most grinders are hard,
coarse and designed for the metal-
working trade. They're way too hard
for grinding the hardened steel in
chisels and plane irons. It sounds
strange, but the harder the steel,
the softer the bond in the wheel
should be. Here's why: Hard steel
quickly dulls the abrasive particles
in a wheel. With a soft bond, the
dull abrasive sloughs off quickly,
leaving fresh, sharp abrasive to do
the work. A hard bond, on the other
hand, holds tight to the abrasive
particles, even after they're dull.
The dull or "glazed" wheel rubs as
much as it cuts, creating the friction
and heat that toast your tools.
The best all-around grinding
wheel for woodworking tools is an
8O-grit aluminum oxide wheel with
a relatively soft bond designated by
the letter H, J or K on the wheel z
uJ
label (Photo 1). An H bond is the E
o
softest and will provide the coolest z
grinding. Turners tend to prefer a
J grade wheel; its harder bond CE

resistsgrooving by gouges and part- I

ing tools. E

Smart buyers read labels. Look F

o
for a series of numbers and letters I

a
that usually comes after the wheel uJ
(E
size (Photo 1). It's best to be color- l
o
blind when you are bupng a new \z

wheel (Photo 2). Instead, trust the E

2
label to give you the precise infor-
tr
()
mation you need. LrJ
(E
o
Sources (t

I Look for three things on a grinding Q Dont let color be your guide. Lee Valleyand Veritas ,.
I wheel label. First, the letter A, 4 Aluminum oxide is made from .\Z
(800)871-8158, wrarwleevalley.com o
which stands for aluminum oxide, the bauxite,a naturallywhite mineral that Et
Grinderwheels: E
abrasive you'll want. Next is the grit can be given any color in manufactur- V
Gin. x 3/4-in.80 grit, #08M18.02,$20 z
size; a 60- or 8O-grit wheel is best. ing.The only way to really know what f
6 - i n .x ' l - i n . 8 0 g r i t ,# 0 8 M 1 8 . 0 1$, 2 3
Finally,a letter right after the grit size you're getting is to read the label.
8-in.x 1-in.80 grit, #08M19.01,$30. tJ-t
representsthe hardness of the bond. a
o
. Letters from H to K are considered soft d
bonds, with H being the softest. o
o
ITJ

I American Woodworker JANUARY 2oos

 S r < r N N E n - O v rV
nanNlsH
I was all ready to varnish, but when I opened
the can, a thick skin covered the top. ls the stuff
under nea th
OK to u s e ?
^**u\,'ll*
A The varnish underneath the skin should be
"f*jrxt fine. Before you use it though, be
sure to do two things: First, strain the varnish
through one of those paper funnels with a
mesh bottom (available at paint stores),
some doubled-up cheesecloth or old pantyhose.
This will get rid of any small bits of dried varnish
that are floating around. Second, try the varnish on
a piece of scrap to make sure it dries OK. If you have
any doubt, toss the old stuff out and buy new. It's
just not worth the risk.

Ifyou have a question you'd like answered,

-r
send it to us at Question & Ansr,ver, r-

American Woodntorter, 2915 Corrmers Drive,

Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55121 or email to
qanda@r€adersdigestcom. Sorry, but the
volume of mail prevents us from answering
each question individually.
i:1.5

10 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

tn$ AIB-TEGil and Dust-Force

Whenonly the Bestwill Do!

Rfitln forcetowor'kinUsur
shop...

for your t-hop.

(Model 750-ER).This rgmolg^ healthier,'more
productive
controlledunit will cleanthe air in a 30'x30'x8' environment.
shoponceeverytenminutes.For largerareasthe drann
WY
ilfl{i:r'3.,'Tn,+}.',TH:3i1:,'1fli::ir'
speciricqrions
optional charcoalfilter. Motor....... . . 1 . 5H P
Modet750-ER MoxCFM... ... 1250
Fon........... ......1l"
WhenontytheBclstwi//.Dpl! fnletDiq.... l-5"/2-4"
a LCDRemoteControlwith speed ond timerfunction Bog Copqcity........42 gollons
O HighestMoximum Air Flow in its Ctoss1,050 CFM Decibels... ..67-77
(750 CFMFilteredAir) Electricol.. llO/22O
L+ Switcn Prewired for | | 0V
a 95%ASHME Testedmqin filter
(91% Efficiencyot I micron - ggy.ot 5 microns)
O Woshoble ElectrostqticPre Filter Anotherquolity productfrom Y
With ten yeor monufqcturer's worronty z
o

Toplaceanorderor for thedealernearest

voucallustoll free. 1{m48U7269 www. th ql d sc ompang. c om C)
 II

# lr ,,-,'.l i--:

l ' m b u i l d i n g o u t d o o r f u r n i t u r e f r o m r o u g h c e d a r .W h e n I c u t t h e
wood, it's soaking wet on the inside. Should I use polyurethane
g l u e s i n c e i t ' s a m o i s t u r e - c u r eg l u e ?

'':. Not when the wood is that wet. Polprrethane glue uses moisture
'
to cure, but too much moisture will cause the glue to cure before
it gets a chance to soak into the wood fibers and create a bond. You
need to get the moisture content (MC) near the surface of the wood
down to 10 to 25 percent before you use poll'urethane glue (6 to 15
percent if you use a water-based Typ" II or Type III glue).
Rough cedar from the lumberyard is often very wet, but it loses that
water rapidly. The best thing to do is cut your lumber into rough sizes
and then stack the wood indoors with stickers between each board so
all four surfaces of each board are exposed to the air. Cedar dries rap-
idly; leave it for a week or two and you should be good to glue. lW

z
o
.=
O

12 American \A/oodrvorker JANUARy 2oos

14 American Woodt'orker JANUARY 2oo5
 -
E
v

HnrvovBlnsr Gnre Lrvrn U

Y

Reaching down to open and close my table-

saw's blast gate was a real pain until I built this
pivoting mechanical arm from pieces of 1/8-in.
flat steel and 3/8-in. rod. It may look cobbled
together, but it works great.
I drilled holes, fastened the linkages with
nuts, bolts and washers and attached the
wooden handle. Now the gate operates by a
simple push or pull.
Knin C,roenke

3/8" ROD
\
\

1I8" FLAT
STEELABM

An S-shapedbend in the rod

c a p t u r e st h e a r m .

If you have an original Workshop Tip,

send it to us with a sketch or photo. If
we print it, you'll get $100! Send to
Workshop Tips, American Woodworker,
2915 Commers Drive, Suite 700'
Eagan, MN 55121 or e-mail to work-
shoptips@readersdigest. com.
AR ROW...THE STANDARDOF EXCEL|_EI{CE Submissions can't be returned and
become our property upon acceptance
BY WHICH ALL OTHERSARE JUDGED and payment. We may edit submis-
sions, and use them in all Print and
electronic media.
Street,SaddleBrook,NewJersey07663
ArrowFastenerCo.,lnc.,271Mayhill
Inc.,6505Metropolitan
Canada:JardelDistributors, QuebecHIP 1Xg
Blvd.East,Montreal,
UnitedKingdom:ArrowFastener(U.K.)Ltd.,Unit5, ZK Park,23Commerce CRO4ZS'Surrey
Way,Croydon
ARRoWFASTENER
WWw.arrOWfastenef.Cgm @2004 lNc
coMPANY 16 American Woodrvorker JANUARY 2oo5
18 American Woodrvorker JANUARY 2oo5
E.
LU
F
z
Gnrr-Fnrr
l
-
Y
BrrucHToPWncHTS
O t'
E
F I keep a few landscape pavers handy
tr in my workshop to use as hold-downs
and weights when clamping is inconven-
ient. The only problem is that they leave
grit behind with every use, and grit and
woodworking don't mix.
I solved this gritty problem by encas-
ing my pavers in rubberized plastic, the
same stuff you dip tool handles in.
To knock off all the loose grit and
round the sharp corners, I nrbbed the
pavers together. Then I dipped them into
a shop-made box containing a l/Lin.-
deep layer of rubberized plastic. After
the plastic dried, I dipped the pavers'
other sides. I sealed four pavers with one
bottle of rubberized plastic; a 14.5-oz.
bottle cost $7 at the home center. /W
Gary Wentz

, "

American Woodworker JANUARY 2oo5 19

 THREEGnEATNrw DusT-CoNTRoL SvsTEMs
Tc:*l-C*NTRoLLED Dusr CoLLECTtoN
Do you use your dust collector every time you tem. Multiple tool modules can be daisy<hained, and
should? Probably not. With this new system, you will- you can mix and match tool voltages.
without any extra effort. System 1 from Creative Dust Each module has a manual override, so you can open
Control is fully automatic. the gate and run the collector without the tool running.
The system consists of a motorized blast gate, a tool Connecting three tools to this system costs $275 but
module and a vacuum module. It's available for both means never doing more than turning on a connected
110- and 220-volt machines. When a tool is turned on, tool to make sure your dust collector is running.
the System 1 automatically opens the blast gate and Hookup is easy.
turns on your dust collector. When you turn off the Late in 2004, Creative Dust Control also introduced
tool, your dust collector will also shut off and the blast a nonmotorized blast gate, $10, that can be used inde-
gate motors will shut. pendently or with the rest of the system. The gate can
Each tool plugs into the tool module, which con- be wired directly to the vacuum module so opening and
nects to the motorized blast gate by telephone cord. closing the gate turns the vacuum on and off.
Yes, telephone cord! A second telephone cord con-
nects the tool module to the vacuum module. The Source
vacuum module controls the dust collector. Like the Creative
DustControl
tool module, the vacuum module, which the system (3141434-1655,www.creatived
ustcontrol.
com
System'l:
requires to work, is a plug-and-play system.
Vacuum module, V-1,11O-volt,
$50;V-2,220-volt,
$50
You'llneed one tool module (which includes a4-.in. Toolmodulewithmotorizedblastgate,TG-1,110-volt,
$75;
motorized blast gate) for each tool you want on the sys- fG-2,220-volt,
$75.

c
llJ
Blnsr-Garr-CoNTRoLLED Dusr CollrcrtoN
F
z
f
I
v
JDS and Penn State Industries offer sptems that TheJDS Dust Gate start-up kit, $60, includes one dust
o
(r provide less automated, but less expensive, solutions. gate, one 110-voltcentral control box and 100 ft. of con-
s
F

With either system, when you open a blast gate, the nection wire. An expansion kit, including two gatesand
- dust collector automatically comes on. Close the gate another 100 ft. of wire, costs$40.
and the collector shuts off. Penn State Industries' Long Ranger kit, $50, includes
The systems are nearly identical. Each includes a the control box for a ll0-volt dust collector, one 4in.
I
L control box that the dust collector plugs into. The blast gate and 100 ft. of connection wire. Each addition-
a
(r control box is wired to special 4-lin. blast gates al gate costs$11.
E
I
throughout the shop. Each blast gate contains a low-
o Sources
= voltage micro switch that opens and closes along with JDSCo.
o
2 the gate. You can wire as many blast gates as you need (800)480-7269,wvvw.jdstools.com
F into one control box. As long as one gate is open, the Dust Gate 11O-voltstart-upkit, $60
LIJ Dust Gate 220-vollstart-upkit, $70
E collector will mn. The wiring is simple and the
o Expansionkit, $40.
F
E instructions are easy to follow. Different control boxes
o are required for 1l0-volt and220-volt dust collectors. PennState Industries
z
Connecting three tools to one of these systems (8001377-7297, www. pennstateind.com
z
- costs $100. You'll need to reach for and open the Long RangerMulti Switchset:
11O-voltset, LRMSET1 10, $50
o
blast gate each time you run the tool to make sure the 220-voltset, LRMSET220, $60
z
collector is on. Blastgates,LRGATE, $11 ea.
E
a')
=
o
LU

20 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 Nrw TooLS, SUPPLtESAND MnTERIALS
D1 George Vondriska

TO
TOOLS TO TOOL
MODULE
TO VACUUM A
MODULE ,
I II
TO TOOL MODULE

DUST
TOOL COLLECTOR
t,tit*T PLUGSHERE

r--+ -
+ ---5-
I rrrI

--

?
,--
I

It
Motorized Blast Gate Vacuum Module

ffi.m

_fu
rrrI

Manual Blast Gate Control Box

American Woodworker JANUARY 2oob 21

 Nosv Brm SnTDER
It's handy to use the front drum of a belt sander on inside curves.
But the body on many sanders limits the front drum's usefulness by
limiting its accessibility. The new Dragster belt sander from Black &
Decker, $70, has a narrow nose that can poke in almost anywhere.
The "hood" on the Dragster can be flipped up and locked out of the
way. The small front drum fits into tiny inside
curyes. The multiposition top handle can
be fine-tuned for comfort in whatever
job you're doing.
The small front drum also gives
the Dragster a larger-than-usual
platen. According to Black &
Decker, the Dragster platen is
25 percent larger than those on
other &in. x 2l-in. machihes. The
larger the platen, the easier it is to
hold the machine flat when vou're
sanding panels.
The Dragster has a Gamp, single-
speed motor, which is comparable to
motors on other belt sandersin its price range,
although I prefer the finer control that comes with variable-speedbelt
sanders. The Dragster will do the same work as comparably priced
machines, for instance, flattening panels, with the added benefit of its
long nose. The dust bag works well, but the sander can't connect
directly to a shop vacuum. The machine is lighnveight and very easyto
handle, a benefit for freehand work. It's a handy machine with good
features for is price.

Source
lo Black& Decker
ot
(800)544-6986,www. blackanddecker.com
ci
z Dragster3-in.x 21-in.belt sander,#DS321,$70.
-9
,e
o

22 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 tooftMq, ilnsv*Tr.:*
Seellfftct's Cusrt:tuxrzr
fforn- hll*r*u-il ffis*u

MEE
Whether your shop is spa-
@ro.o*o
cious or petite, you can't beat
MasterBit Set.
P20-7AA2 the convenience of having
your equipment mobile. The
new Universal Mobile Base

tlf
L I
r ll
I
Hardware, $60, will help you
get rolling. Customizing the
base for any tool is simple. It
tn tlle Grtrfog @ TurnlockruSignCrafter has a high load rating and

rtrd oa n| lcEslla CreateEeautifulSigns

with YourRouter.
rolls like dream.
If you can cut a piece of
lorll iilnd... P45-2546
3/4-in. plywood and drill
holes, you can size the mobile
a RouterBits
base. Cut the plywood 7/2 in.
o ShaperCutters
o 100'sof Woodworking
Gadgets & Accessories
O Closeout& Bargain
BinSpecials. t,\EdgeV-GroovingSet.
Pl0-r054

larger, in both directions,

than the tool you're mobiliz-
irg. Drill
holes for the
mounting bolts (included

Youtn PnonnslyJusrAs AhdBrTrous. with the base) and you're

Whether youarea do-it-
yourselfer,
a professional
woodworker orsomewhere
in between,youhave a world
fullof projects
inthehome
orintheshopthatwillbe
easier andmoreenjoyable to
complete you
when use qual-
ityclamps, benchvises and
miterboxes/saws fromthe
AdjustableClamp Company.
Look forthemunder the
Jorgensen, Adjustableand
Ponybrand names wherever
finetoolsaresold.
home free. The Universal
Mobile Base Hardware will
handle machines as small as
12x12 in., as large as37 x37
in., or any size in between.
With its maximum load
rating, this mobile base can
handle most tools. For the
base to handle the load and
roll easily, however, the tool
must rest squarely on the
steel corners.
TWo foot-operated pedals
raise and lower the machine.
Swivel casters take over after
the machine is lifted. The
base also has leveling screws
to accommodate a less-than-
perfect floor. A/l|

"hog''
- "Jgliutggd'
Agfiustable Source
WoodcraftSupply
(800)535-4482,
www.woodcraft.com
Made in the USA by the AdjustableClampCo.,
MobileBaseHardware.
Universal
406 NorthAshlandAve.,Chicago,lL 60622, #145488,$60.

24 Arneican Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 F

cc
v
U
u
=
I
o_
t

F
o
=
o_
a
U
t
L
)o
Y.
(J
t.
o
z
z
U)
z
I
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-
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o
=
(J
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E.
o
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cc

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American Woodworker JANUARY 2oo5

 I 1f achinists use a simple measuring device called a
l\/l ail indicator for setting up metalworking POST
I V lequipment. It works great in the woodshop,
too, though forwoodworking, you don't need a real fancy \
model. I found a perfectly adequate dial indicator, com-
plete with all the accessories,for only $18 (see below).
The big advantage of using a dial indicator for setting
up your machines is that you get instant, clear read-
ings. The needle shows you exactly how far you've
gone when you make a minute adjustment.
rt|+.00
Let's be honest, though. Fine-tuning a
machine is fussy business. Even with a dial indica-
tor, it takes some patience and finesse.
Grab a comfortable stool, and let's 9r^ \

begin with the tablesaw.

,,fl- - h.N
{',,lrrrl\11rrtrr\
sPRtNG- f
LOADED I
r?o t
%*, \
BALL
CONTACT
POINT
ARTICULATING
ARM

A dialindicatoris nothingmore than a

spring-loadedrod, a needleand a dial.
Move the rod uo or down and the nee-
dle rotates around the dial'sface. The
dial tells you how many thousandths
of an inch the rod has traveled. The
one at rightis measuringthe thickness
of a dollarbill at .003 in.
A complete dial indicatorkit also
containsa magneticbase,a long artic-
ulatingarm and a set of contactpoints.
The heavy magneticbase holds the
instrument absolutely rigid on any
metal surface. lt's not electronic
(there'sno cord to plug in); you flick a
ffi\*n
DISC /
switch to raise or lower the magnet
insidethe base.
33,T,T"2
(
The articulatingarm is used for
BENT.ARM
holdingthe dial at a distancefrom the CONTACTPOINT
base. lt's trickyto adjust,so we won't
use it for these two jobs. Complete dial-indicator kits can
Contact points screw onto the bot- cost a lot, but I found one that'sonly
tom of the measuringrod. Each one $ 1 8 . Y o uc a n o r d e rt h e k i t , i n c l u d i n g
all the elementsshown above,from
has a specialshapefor measuringdif-
the Little Machine Shop, (800) 981-
ferent kindsof objects.We'll be using 9663, www.littlemachineshop.com.
three contactpoints:a ball,a disc and Ask for kit #1782.
a bentarm.

28 American Woodworker JANUARY 2oob

&
*,
Z:',Ro rHE Dtal
:
The first step in using a dial indicator is to turn the dial so the
I\ zero mark lines up with the needle. This way, you don't have to
add or subtract any numbers to calculate how far the needle
\ moveswhen measuring a distance.
\
Let's practice on the top of the tablesaw. Install a disc con-
\
\ tact point on the end of the rod and place the base on the
\ saw. Turn on the magnet. Clamp the dial and rod so the con-
\ tact point touches the table and slightly compresses the
5
spring-loaded rod. Turn the dial to zero and you're ready to go.

TaSLESAWTuNE-Up
Here we're going to make sure the blade, fence and
miter-gauge slot are absolutely parallel to each other.
This reduces the chances of kickback, eliminates burn-
ing and produces the smoothest cut. Install the ball
contact point on the measuring rod.
If your miter gauge wiggles in the slot, you'll have
to take out the play for an accurate reading with the
dial indicator. Simply push the miter gauge and bar
toward one side while you measure. Always push to
the same side.

AlrcN THE BlnoE TO THE MtrEn-Gauce Slor

Measurethe front of the blade. Raisethe blade as high
as it will go.Turnoff the magnet.Clampthe baseto the
miter gauge so the rod is slightly compressedwhen it
touchesthe saw blade just below a tooth. Mark where the
contactpoint touchesthe blade.Zero the dial.
fiMeasure the back. Rotate the blade by hand and
I realignthe marked spot with the contact point. lf the
& needlehas moved lessthan .003in. eitherway, you're
OK. lf it has moved more than .003 in.,the saw'strunnions
or table should be adiusted.Consultyour owner's manual
for step-by-stephelp on aligningthe blade.

LrrurUp rur FrrucewrH THEMtrrn-Gnucg Slor

Measure the front of the fence. Repositionand clamp
the dial indicatoron the right side of the miter gauge.
Slide the fence so it slightly compressesthe rod. Lock
down the fence.Zero the dial.
Measurethe back. Slide the dial indicatorto the back
of the fence and checkthe reading.lf the needleis off
the zero mark, adjust the angle of the fence until you
get the same readingfront and back.Consultyour owner's
manual about how to make this adjustment.

30 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oo5

 $srnNc JoINTERKrutvr$
FEAIURES:
In this procedure, we're going to set all three
oGloss cry$ol jointer knives so they project the correct distance
oMelol cose 5 for 529.95
postpoid from the cutterhead and are parallel to the infeed
oSloinlesssteel
bock Retoil and outfeed tables. These instructions assume
eoch
volueS12.95
.l-7/16"diomefer - you've installed jointer knives before and know
the ins and outs of how to raise or lower knives
fitsinl-3l8"hole
and tighten them down.
If you have a knife-setting gauge for yourjoint-
er, skip ahead to Step 4. Then set the knives with
your gauge and use the dial indicator to fine-tune
their height.

'$t*I:K.
with Rubber BolteryHotch
"fhe eosiestwayto chonge
o hotteryin lhe indastry.'

24120 Detroit Road, Wesdake, OH 41145

Phone 1-800-899-1314 . Fa*, Lm-$5-9O6/u.
'162
CircleNo.

Zero the dial. Installthe bent-armcontactpoint on

t h e d i a l i n d i c a t o r .P l a c et h e d i a l i n d i c a t o ro n t h e
i n f e e dt a b l e a n d t u r n o n t h e m a g n e t .C l a m p t h e
dial on the base's post so the spring-loadedrod is
into lumberandsave$$$ slightly compressed.Turnthe dial to zero.

Mini'Mill
G5558 offir*
,A il"xF
G776AlaskanMill

Zero the infeed table. Raise or lower the infeed

table until the depth-of-cutscale reads zero. lf
you haven't resetthis scalein the past,this step
ensuresthat your knives will project the correct dis-
tancefrom the cutterhead.lf you have resetthis scale,
consult your owner's manual about how far the
TOLL
CALL FREE
FOR
AFREE
CATALOOI knivesshould projectabove the cutterhead.

800.233{{99 wtryw,
1107.502.2099
32 American Woodworker JANUARY 2oob
 Srrrrruc JoTNTERKlrvrs

Levelthe outfeedtable. Repositionthe dial indica-

tor so the bent arm touchesthe outfeedtable. (On
some jointers, you may need to use the articulat-
ing arm to reach acrossthe tables.)Raiseor lower the
outfeedtable until the needlereadszero.Lockthe table.

CircleNo. 146

Wt WH 7l t) tllt l: I ,17
a
)
)
D
t)r, lil{t t .fr
Mark the top dead center.Thisis the positionof the
"WOODilTASuER cutterheadwhere the knives reach their highest

nl#tffi!,.
-.Fine Woodworkinp
point. Apply a piece of maskingtape to the fence
and place a ruler acrossthe tables.Turn the cutterhead
by hand. Mark the spot where the knivestouch the ruler.

#,ffHffi';'.'tn
#ifrff##"'
'l'ffl-il3'l['X"13fl'*
Thats][$,.r* "
problemr
r,

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Thesecommercialduty sanders fill themachine you'vebeenlookingfor. point and installthe disc.Thewide, flat bottom of
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1431 N.Topping
Ave.,Dept.D890,KansasCity,MO64120
Prouder fhan Ever to be MADE IN AMERTCA!
CircleNo. 38
34 American Woodworker JANUARY 2oo5
SEmNc JottulEn Krutvrs

Positionthe dial indicator.Slidethe fence out of the

way. Removeall the dull knivesfrom the cutterhead
and install sharp ones. Use the knife-settinggauge
if you have one. Snug the knivesand slide the fence over
the end of the cutterhead.Placethe dial indicator'srod in
line with the top-dead-centermark and directly over the
jack screw under the knife.

Zero the right side. Rock the knife by hand back

and forth through top dead center. lf the needle
never reacheszero,the knife is too low. lf the nee-
dle goes above zero,the knife is too high' lf you used a
knife-settinggauge, readjustthe height of the outfeed
table until the needle reads zero, and leave the table
there for all three knives.Otherwise,adjust the height
of the knife until the needlereadszero.

Sefies in DVD PanelDoors

Glass
or video *vro.ffiX'ffiil-nwz
(30min.)

RouterTables Cabinetmaking
MadeEasy MadeEasY
Level the knife. Move the dial indicator to the left #DVD.AW4
#VID-AW3#DVD.AW3 #VID.AW4
side of the knife, directly over the jack screw. (120min.) (105min.)
Sight down the rod so it's stlll in line with the top-
dead-centermark. Rotatethe knife again and watch the
eachSpecial:$9.90each
Reg:$24.95
needle.Thereadingon this side of the blade should be Buyallfivefor:$39.90
within .002 in. of the reading on the other side of the #AWV.sPK#AVYD.sPK
blade. Raiseor lower the left side of the knife as need- offerbyphone
Special 12/31/04
olferexpires
only,
ed. Recheckthe right side and tighten the knife.Repeat
Steps 6 through 8 for each knife, zeroing each to the
outfeedtable.

American Woodworker JANUARY 2oo5 35

 No matter how carefully you use the dial
indicator, sometimes you must tweak the
height of the outfeed table to get everything
just right. Begin by jointing a 24in.-long
board, taking off about 7/32 in. Set the board
on your tablesaw.

CircleNo. 151

lf the edge is concave,use your dial indicatorto

lower the outfeed table in .001-in.increments,as
shown in Step 3. Keepadjustinguntil you can joint
a straightedge.
Two other problems also indicate an outfeed
table that's too high. 1.The board bumps into the
leading edge of the table. 2. The cut always trails
off to nothing as you joint an edge.

Snipe at the trailing end of the board tells you to

raise the outfeed table.The snipe shown above is
quite large, but sometimes it's so small you can
only feel it. Raisethe table in .001-in.increments
until you can't see,feel or hear any snipe. A/ll

CircleNo. 131

36 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 BuvrNGAovrcE FoR Slop Grnn

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38 Amcr-ican \4bodl'olker- JANUARy 2oos

 Tur CHUCKS
The two chucks I like-MLCS Insty-Lok
Quick-Change Chuck and Bosch Clic-Change
Chuck-make it really easyto change bits (see i.&s
Sources, page 43). With these models, you
only need to use one hand. Sweet!
I don't know about you, but I like to keep
one hand on my drill's handle when I'm switch-
ing from drilling to driving. My other hand is
free to pick up a bit and pop it in. The chuck's
barrel automatically snaps into position, lock-
ing the bit in place, and I'm ready to go.
To remove the bit, Ijust pull the barrel for-
ward to the unlocked position. It clicks into
place, and the bit's loose. I don't have to put
the drill down, cradle it in my ann, squeezeit
between my legs or go through any of the
other contortions I had to do with other
quick-change chucks that generally required
two hands to use.

40 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 # 1 / 4 "H E X
$ F
SHANK
#
9
j
I

NUT

Anv bit or drivcr rvith a | / Lirt.

t,0ffiEP*NrLS hex shank ciur fit into a quick-

chattge chttck, includir-rg nr,,ist
bits, spacle bits, coturtersink

&Or You I?ArT LED? combir-ration bits, self-center-

ins bits, rlagnetic tip holclers
ili 11; ancl nut clrivers.
lli
fi
ili{g##dilffiffs,ffixe,#
fi
Tilist bits for quick-change

{*f
wr m-q3*rys*$,3J chtrcks colne in tr,voclifl-erent
- sLlrlsr. Ir-r tl-re one-piece bit
#Tt-
I ry (abotrt$4 each), the shank is
frs'xAlr sPEcrAr hex-shaped rather than
2 PieceSetfor Only round. (One advantage of a

$f134es hex sl'rankis that the bit isn't

fi-ee to rotate ir-r the chuck
,-,.,o--siV{ ancl clevelop nasty btrrrs.)
A fancier type involves a
legtrlzrr r-ound-shank drill bit
fitting into a router-like collet
that l-rasa hex shank. Il'r,otr
break or dull a bit, r'ou stick a
new one in the collet. Each
collet costs abotrt $3. rvithout
the bit. Collets are available
fbr rnanv standarcl diameters
but, unforttrr-rately, not in
e\/ery 1/ 64-in. increment.
* Designedspecifically plywoods
fortoday's The collet-type is slightly
r Adjusttheflatpanelgroovewidth rnore expensive than a one-
3/16"to 9132'tor plywood
114. piece bit, but it's rnv favorite.
7/16"lo 17f32"Ior12"plywood I fisurc it'll pay for itself
r Eliminate
panel
rattle dorvn the rozrd. I trstrally keep
r Cutframestockfrom5/8"through1-114'in
thickness on hancl a half-dozen inex-
inthreeprofiles
e Available t
pensive tnist bits of the same
Concave
#55433,
0gee#55436
andBead
#55437 diameter. With the collet sy,s-
* Each 2 pcs.
setincludes tern, I alr'vayshave a sharp bit
1forstilecuts& 1forrailcuts. readl,to go.
* Carbide-tipped
forlonglife
PatentPerdirg

W,#ffi,tl|#'
ForA DealerNearestYouGall l-8W-iU54077 . Pleaseb'isit0ur Websitewww.atnanaboleom
c!

z
q)
a
i:
 H u R R Y - u PJ o I N E R Y
Plain old screwed-andglued buttjoints are
one of the fastest,easiestwaystojoin boards
together. The only thing that slows you
down is going back and forth among three
different bits and drivers, but the quick-
change chuck really greasesthe skids. Bing,
v bang, done! I use a twist bit for the clear-
ance hole in the outer board, a combina-
tion countersink bit with a stop collar for
*re pilot hole in the inner board and a
squaredrive tip to run in the screws. Alll

SouRcES
MLCS
€00) 533-9298,www.mlcswoodworking.com
Insty-LokOuick-ChangeChuck,#9563, $14
7 CornersHardware
(65U 2244859, www Tcorners.com
BoschClic-ChangeChuck#CC2100,$13.

McFeely's
(800) zt43-7937,www.mcfeelys.com
SnappyHex-ShankDrill Bit Holders,varioussizes,drill
bit not included,about $3 each.

American Woodworker JANUARY 2oos 43

, YouF
Youn -$aue&Malc
$awmill- $$$$
looillot-

t-

LttrnberLfrte ffi
Gall
- ort.348toila$
usI011-I[IIatl-800-661-ltf6
at:www.norwoodindustries.com
Orvisitourwebsite
CircleNo. 140
 l

Euro-style construction
makes them easy to build,
easy to customize.
n days gone by, apprentice cabinetmakers used to build
their own tool chests. The chests were often works of art
that both displayed the owner's level of craftsmanship
and provided practical storage for tools. These modular shop
cabinets function in much the same way. Designed for ample
storage, they also form a stunning piece of cabinetry.
Make no mistake, though; these cabinets are firmly rooted
in modern cabinetmaking techniques. They're built using
the same modular construction system today's professionals
prefer. After you've warmed up on these shop cabinets, you'll
be ready to tackle making a whole kitchen full using the same
technique.

These cabinets are built with box or modular construction: All the
units are simply 2-ft.-widebutt-joinedboxes.Becausethe boxesare
a l l t h e s a m e w i d t h , t h e d r a w e r sa n d d o o r s a r e ,t o o ' T h i ss t r e a m l i n e s
m a c h i n i n ga n d a s s e m b l y E . a c hb o x o r c a b i n e ti s i n s t a l l e do n e a t a
t i m e , a l l o w i n g o n e p e r s o nt o b u i l d a n d i n s t a l la r u n o f c a b i n e t so f
a l m o s ta n y l e n g t h .
American Woodworker JANUARY 2oo5 45
 Exrnn FranuRES
These are "dream" shop cabi-
nets, and to keep the dream alive,
Materials:30 bd. ft. of 4/4 birch Hardware:
5 bd. ft. of 514cherry 15 pairsof drawerslides, I've jammed them full of extra
Fivesheetsof 314-in.x 4-ft. x 8-ft. birch plywood eight Euro/cuphinges,four features:
One sheet of 112-in.x 4-ft. x 8-ft. birch plywood pneumaticdoor-closing r Fifteen full-extension drawers
Threesheetsof 114-in. x 4-ft. x 8-ft. birch plywood cushions,two 24-in.under-
Threesheetsof 112-in. x S-ft.x 5-ft. Balticbirchplywood cabinetlights with l-in. overtravel and a self-
One sheetof 3/4-in.x 49-in.x 97-in.MDF TotalCost: closing feature that takes over
Two quartsof oil finishor varnish $ 1 , 1 0 0f o r a 6 - f t .r u n when the drawer is nearly closed ill

Tools: (a welcome feature when you

Edge-tapetrimming tools, clothesiron, tablesawwith dado blade,routerand routertable, have your hands full).
bandsaw,drillpress,belt sander,finishsander,18-gaugenailgun, 35-mm drillbit and level r Angled shelves that put fre- tl
quently used tools right at your
fingertips
r Shop-made handles that dou-
*8 x1-112" ble as label holders.
r A worktop shelf that works
like an elevated tool tray.
r A durable worktop that over-
hangs the lower cabinets to allow
clamping to the surface.

S T l v P L EM o D U L A R
CoNSTRUCTtoN
Modular construction allows
one person to build and install f

UJ
L
this entire Gft. run of cabinets. L
UJ

These shop cabinets begin as a v

tll

series of 2-ft.-wide modules or l \

co
boxes that screw together. Simply 2
add or subtract boxes for a cabi- =
E
net run that suits your needs. F
a
f
Because all the boxes are the J
J
a
same width, making the doors LJ-J
)z
J
and drawers is greatly simplified. I
u-l
l
End panels cover the exposed N

sides of the boxes on the ends of a =

co

Note: See "6 Storage Solutions,"page 54, for

run. The end panels are extra -(L
an adjustabledividersystemfor these shelves. deep, providing room to scribe the E

back edge to fit an uneven wall.

You can adjust the 39-in. work- T
o_
o
top height by altering the base z
platform's height. a
z
I
A standard kitchen has a 3Gin.- -)
z
high countertop with 16 in. clear- E
L!

ance between it and 30-in.-tall 2

upper cabinets. Because we raised tr
(J
U.J
the worktop height to 39 in. to be E
o
more comfortable for woodwork- F

ing, we shortened the upper cabi- I

\2.
nets to 24 in. to keep their top E

shelves within reach. E

u
z
The self-closing door hinges f

open 120 degrees and adjust in ul

all directions. Pneumatic door-

a
o
cc
closing cushions work like magic F
o
to softly close the doors without t.lJ

46 American Woodworker JANUARy 2oo5

 All the visible cabinet edges are fiGut grooves in the upper cabinet fl Assemble the boxes using a sup-
1 */
I covered with iron-on edge tape, sides to house the metal shelf 4 port tube to hold the top and bot-
I which goes on fast and looksgreat. lq supports. When installed, the t-.,7tom steady.The support tube for
Trim the tape with a double-sidededge standardsstand proud of the grooves t h e u p p e r c a b i n e t si s j u s t a n 8 x I x 2 2 -
t r i m m e r .C u t t h e t a p e e n d s f l u s h t o t h e b y a b o u t 1 / 1 6i n . in. box. lt's like having a second set of
plywood priorto trimming. hands for assembly.

a bang. Nothing is too good for

these shop cabinets.

Buun rHE Boxes

l. Cut all the upper and lower cab
inet box parts (A throughJ). Apply
birch iron-on edge tape to all the
front edges (Photo 1). Note: Do not
ease the taped edges before assem-
bly or the joints between the shelves
and the sides won't look tight.
2. Cut the shelf standard grooves
in the two upper cabinets with doors
(Fig. A, page 46; Photo 2). Finish-
sand the inside of all the pieces that
form the upper cabinet boxes.
3. Drill and countersink pilot
holes at the top and bottom of the
upper and lower cabinet sides (Fig.
A and C).
4. Assemble the three upper cabi-
net boxes (Photo 3).
5. Assemble the three lower cabi-
net boxes using a 3O-in.-long sup-
port tube (Fig. C, right).
6. Ease the taped edges of the
assembled boxes using sandpaper.
7. Cut the parts for the angled
shelves (K L, SS, W and \MW).
Assemble the shelves. Then drill the
screw holes in the shelf supports

American Woodworker JANUARY 2oo5 47

 /t
n

Lay out holes for the hinge-mount-
ing plates with a commercial tem-
plate.Screwa 6-in.-longguide stick
to the template to set the hinge plates
3 in. from the cabinettop and bottom.
To check the fit of the doors, first screw the cabinets together as they'll hang
on the wall. Use 1/16-in.-thick spacersto set the gaps.Adjust the hinges and
trim the doors (Photo6) until all the gaps are even. Be sure to mark eachdoor
so you can remount them later in the correctorder.

and mount them in the angled-shelf

cabinet (Fig. B, page 46).
FnauE-ANn-Parurl 15. Drill the 35-mm cup-hinge

8. Cut the cabinet backs (U and

V) to size. Apply two coats of oil or
varnish to the insides of the upper
cabinet boxes and backs.
9. Screw the shelf standards into
their grooves, and then screw the
cabinet backs to the boxes.
10. Mark hinge-mounting plate
locations on the two upper cabinets
with doors using a hingedrilling tem-
plate (Photo 4) (see Sources, page
53). Attach the mounting plates.
Doons AND DnawERS
ll. Cut all the door and lower
drawer face parts (GG, HH, MM, NN,
PP and aA.Note: The bottom draw-
er front is a frame and panel because
it's too big to be made of solid wood.
12. Cut tongue-and-groove joints
for the door and drawer frames.
13. Finish-sand the panels and
apply one coat of oil or varnish.
14. Assemble the frames with glue
and clamps, and check for square.
3/4"- DlA. x 1/8"-DEEP
COUNTERBORED 5/16"-DIA.HOLE
1/2'- WIDE x 1/4"-DEEP
holes on the door stiles and mount
the hinges. Center the holes 3 in.
from the top and bottom. The hole's
edge should be set back 3/16 in. from
the outside edge of the door stile.
Harvc AND Flr
THE DOORS
16. Screw together the three
upper boxes. Hang the doors on the
assembled cabinets.
77. Make some 1,216-in.-thick
spacers for fitting the doors and
drawer faces (Photo 5).
18. Adjust the hinges and trim the
edges of the doors until the gaps are
even. If you're not cornfortable
using a hand planeto trim the
doors, try a belt sander (Photo 6).
No matter how you do the trim-
ming, go slowly and check your
progress often.
19. When you're done fitting the
doors, remove the doors and
hinges. Label each door on its top
edge, so you hang it back in the
right spot. Also label each hinge and
its corresponding hole to avoid
readjusting the hinges.

48 American Woodworker JANUARY 2oos

-.1...

r/a Some doors and drawer fronts may need a
tllittte trimming for a proper fit. Use a belt
UTsander with a wide support board clampedto
the face of the door so only the areato be trimmed
i s e x p o s e d .S q u i g g l ep e n c i l l i n e s o n t h e s u p p o r t
board and sand until the lines start to disappear.
Use a support board to align the drawer slides as you screw them
to the cabinets.Start at the top drawer slides and work your way
acrossall three cabinets.Then,cut the support board shorterto set
the slides for the next level of drawers, and so on down to the bottom
set of drawers.

The drawer slides are mounted 3132 in. back from the drawer Rout a beaded edge on the top and bottom
front to leavea little cushion betweenthe drawer and the cabinet. of the doors and the drawer fronts. A tall
A simple stick with a flat head screw works great as a setup jig. fence and a featherboardsteadythe door for
Adjust the screw until the setback is correct.Then butt the slide up to a smoother cut.
the screw head and screw it in place.

Marr AND lrusrnu set close to the bottom so the 23. Finish-sand the outside of the
THE DNNWERS screws catch the lower frame rails drawers and ease any sharp edges.
20. Cut and machine the drawer (Fig. c). 24. Separate the drawer slides
box parts (W through FF). 22. Finish-sandthe inside of the into the cabinet members and the
21. Predrill holes in the drawer drawer parts. Assemble the draw- drawer members.
fronts (Fig. D, page 48). Make sure ers using an 8 x 8 x 20-l/2-in. sup- 25. Mount the cabinet members
the holes in the lower drawers are port tube. in the lower cabinet boxes (Photo 7;

American Woodworker JANUARY 2oo5 49

 _"
'tt '
*tt
FLATFORU
- ! - ; a ,

11
1 n Installa ledger strip on which you'll hang the cabinets.
Positionthe cabinet on the ledger strip and drive #8 x
rI |V | 2-112-in.screws through the cabinet into the wall
studs. Put screws near the top and bottom of the cabinet.
The lower cabinets are set on a separate base. Use
shims to level the platform front to back and side to
side. Screw the baseto the wall and trim the shims.

Fig. C, page 47). They are mounted
flush to the cabinet fronts.
26. Mount the drawer members to
the drawers on a centerline (Photo 8).
27. Slide the drawer bottoms into
the drawers and screw them to the
drawer backs.
Frr rHr
Dnnwrn Fncrs
28. Screw together the three lower
cabinet boxes. Mimic the end panels
with scrap plywood tacked onto each
end. The mock panels should stick
out l3llGin. beyond the front of
each end. Luy the assembly on its
back and check for square.
29. Tiim and fit all the drawer
faces. Make sure to label the back of
each drawer face so you get it in the
right spot when you attach it to the
drawers later.
30. When the drawer fronts are all
aligned, dismantle the cabinet run
down to the three boxes.
Ann Flrual Drralls
31. Rout the beaded-edgeprofile
on the doors and drawer faces
(Photo 9). Easethe edgeswith sand-
paper.
32. Make the worktop (T, TT and
UU, Fig. E, page 52), backsplash
(R), worktop shelf (S), base (M
through Q, FiS. G, page 52) and
ledger (RR).
33. Do any remaining finish-sand-
ing and apply oil or varnish to the
rest of the exposed cabinet parts.
34. Make the handles (see "Shop
Made Handles," page 5l) and screw
them to the doors and drawer faces.
lrusrnll THE CnSINETS
35. When you hang cabinets, it's
important that you drive the screws
into wall studs. Locate the studs and
transfer that information to the
cabinets.
36. Start the installation by attach-
ing the ledger to the wall so its top
edge is 55 in. up from the floor.
Make sure it's level.
_ 37, Set the first upper cabinet in

3/4" birch plywood 3/4" birch plywood 3/4" birch plywood 3/4" birch plywood 3/4" birch plywood

50 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oob

 T h e s e s h o p - m a d eh a n d l e sa d d a s t r i k i n g
v i s u a le l e m e n tt o a n v c a b i n e t T . he handles
a r ea s e a s yt o m a k ea s t h e y a r e g o o d - l o o k i n g ,
and they'll save you money. The slotted
f r o n t s a l l o w y o u t o l a b e le a c h d r a w e r ' sc o n -
t e n t s .Y o u c a n a d a p tt h e d e s i g nt o s u i t m o r e
f o r m a lc a b i n e t sb y s i m p l yd r o p p i n gt h e d o v e -
t a i l e dc a r d h o l d esr l o t .
1. Cut 16 f t. o f h a n d l e s to c k (X X).T h i s i s
n e a r l yt w i c e w h a t y o u n e e d ,b u t i t g i v e sy o u
| sig',1
p l e n t yo f e x t r af o r t e s t r n gy o u r r o u t e rs e t u p s .
2. S hape t h e h a n d l e s to c k fo l l o w i n gth e
s t e p ss h o w n i n t h e f i g u r e ,a t r i g h t
3. Cut t he h a n d l e s to l e n g th o n Y o u r 1 / 16
b a n d s a ww i t h t h e t a b l e s e t a t 1 5 d e g r e e s
T h e f i r s t e n d i s c u t w i t h t h e s t o c kf a c e d o w n
( l a b esl l o t o n t h e t a b l e )a n d t o p e d g ef o r w a r d
1/2"-DtA.
DOVETAIL
14

1/8"-RAD. 22.5' 22.5'--

CHAMFER
O V E RB I T

9 / 3 2 " - D I AC. O U N T E R S I NH
KO L E v 15'BEVEL
F R O MF R O N T
TO BACK

9/64"-DlA.
HOLE
T h e s e c o n dc u t ( s e e p h o t o ,a b o v e )i s m a d e
w i t h t h e l a b e ls l o t s t i l lo n t h e t a b l eb u t t h e t o p
e d g ea g a i n s tt h e m i t e rg a u g e .
4. Dr ill t he c o u n te rs i n k h o l e s a n d th e
4 ' ' O V E RL E N G T HM E A S U R E D
p i l o t h o l e s o n a d r i l lp r e s sw i t h a f e n c e . P O I N TT O P O I N TO N B A C KS I D E

plywood Three 112"

 the drawer faces to the drawers using 1/16-in.spacersto maintain
1 fiClamp
-// 1 C) Nail the fill strip in ptace.The
| an even gap.Then pull the drawer out and attachthe fronts with screws. ,{drawers do not go all the way
|
-L h The predrilledholes in the drawer box are slightly oversizeto allow you ro &/to the top of the cabinet
make minor adjustmentsto the drawer fronts. because the overhanging worktop
would prevent accessto the back of the
top drawer.

place on the ledger and screw it to

the wall (Photo 10). Attach the
other two cabinets and install the
angled shelves (Fig. B, page 46).
38. Scribe the upper end panels
so their back edges fit tightly to the
wall and the front edges protrude
13/16 in. from the cabinet face.
Then screw them in place.
39. Level the base and screw it to
the wall (Photo 11). Scribe the base
fascia parts to the floor and wall and
screw them in place. Set the lower
cabinet boxes on the base, screw
them together and then to the wall.
Scribe and attach the end panels.
40. Working from the bottom up,
insert each drawer and attach its
drawer face (Photo 12).
41. Attach the backsplash to the
worktop, then the worktop to the
lower cabinets. Scribe the worktop
sheHto the backwall if necessary and
screw it to the top of the backsplash.
42. Install the shelves and rehang
the doors on the upper cabinets.
Cut and install the fill strip (f) to
the lower cabinets (Photo 13).
42. Finally, mount two 24in.
under-cabinet lights on the upper
cabinets to light the worktop. IW

52 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oo5

 @vveIa|||J|tI|eI|si|Ur|;/Jvvx/o-J-+nxzo-|+U

Part Cabinet Section Part Name otv. Dimensions

A Lower cabinets End oanels 2 3/4" x 24-1/4"rt x 31-1/2"
B Lower cabinets Sides 6 314"x22-112"x31-1/2"
C Lower cabinets Tops and bottoms 6 3 1 4 x" 2 2 - 1 1 2x"2 2 "
D U p p e rc a b i n e ts End oanels 2 3/4" x'a3-1/16"(.) x 23-112
E U p p e r a n q l e d - s h e l fc a b in e t Sides 2 3/4" x 12-1116"x 23-112"
F U o o e r a n q l e d - s h e l fc a b i n e t Too and bottom 2 3/4"x12-1116" x22"
G Upper doored cabinets Sides 4 3 / 4 "x 1 1 - 1 1 4x 2 3 - 1 1 2 "
H Upper doored cabinets Tops and bottoms 4 314"x11-114x22"
J Upper doored cabinets Shelves 4 314"x11-118x21-718"
ilMEErn K U p p e r a n q l e d - s h e l fc a b i n e t Bottom shelf 1 314"x22" x17-112
t U o o e r a n o l e d - s h e l fc a b i n e t Too shelf 1 314"x22" x11-112
M Base Front fascia 1 314"x 6-1l2rtx70-112"
N Base Front& back 2 3/4"x6"x69"
P Base End fascia 2 314"x6-1/2t-tx20"
o Base Crosssupports 4 314"x6" x18-112"
R Worktop Backsplash 2 3/4" x5-314 x73"
S Worktoo Shelf 1 314"x5-112 x 73"
3l4" MDF T Worktop Worktop 2 314"x24" x71-112"
U Lower cabinets Backs 3 112"x23-112x31-112"
V Upper cabinets Backs 3 1 1 2x" 2 3 - 1 1 2x"2 3 - 1 1 2 "
W Drawer Sides 6 112"x10" x22"
X Drawer Fronts 3 112"x10" x20-112"
Y Drawer Backs 3 112"x9-112x20-112"
'12
1/2" Baltic z Drawer Sides 112"x6" x22"
birch AA Drawer Fronts 6 112"x6" x20-112"
plywood BB Drawer Backs 6 112"x5-112"x20-112"
cc Drawer Sides 12 112"x2-114 x22"
DD Drawer Fronts 6 112"x2-114"x20-112"
EE Drawer Backs 6 112"x1-314"x20-112"
FF Drawer Bottoms 15 1 1 4x" 2 1 - 1 1 4x"2 0 - 1 1 2 "
tl GG Door Panels 4 114"x 8-3/16"x20-118"
HH Drawer Panels 3 1/4"x7-3/4"x 19-15/16"
JJ Lower cabinets Fill strip 1 13/16" x 2-1116" x 70-112"
KK Drawer Faces 6 314"x 6-3/8"x23-318"
LL Drawer Faces 6 314"x2-518'x 23-318"
MM Door Stiles 8 314"x2-118 x23-112"
NN Drawer Rails 6 314"x2-118 x20"
PP Drawer Stiles 6 314"x2-118"x11-118"
3/4" birch oo Door Rails 8 314"x2-118 x8-114"
RR Uooercabinets Ledger 1 314"x2" x70-112"
SS Upperansled-shelfcabinet Shelf edqins 4 314"x2" x22"
TT Worktoo Edqinq 1 314"x 1-112"x73"
UU Workop E dsi nq 2 314"x1-112"x24-314"
W Upper anqled-shelf cabinet Shelf supports 2 314"x1"x18-15/16"
WW U o o e r a n q l e d - s h e l fc a b i n e t Shelf suppofts 2 314"x 1" x 15"
XX Handles Handles 19 15/16"x1-9/16"x4"
x i n c l u d e s1 / 2 "s c r i b ea l l o w a n c e

Sources
Woodworker'sHardware 8 9 7 0 . 6 7 0 1$, 1 e a . Woodworker'sSupply
(800)383-0130, www.wwhardware.com White birchpregluediron-onedge tape,7/8 in. (800)645-9292,www.woodworker.com
FulFextension 22-in.drawerslideswith 1-in. x 250 ft., ET078PB, $38 Freudadjustable1-3l4-in.-dia. tongue-and-
overtravel,KV84i9 B22,$13 ea. Zinc-platedsteel shelf standards,518in. x 24 in., grooverouterbit set, 111-317, $65
Blum self-closing12O-degree clip hinges, KV02557C 24, $1 ea. Beadededge bit, 1/8 in. rad.,820-410,$34
8071T5550,$2 ea. Zinc-plated shelf supportclips,KV0256ZC, D o v e t a i l b i t , l 1 2i n . d i a .x 1 4 d e g r e e s8, 1 9 - 3 9 6 .
Blum frameless0-mm clip-hingemounting $2 for a bag of 20. $/
p l a t e s , 8 1 7 5 H 7 1$01, C o r eb o x b i t , 1 i n . d i a . ,8 1 9 - 3 5 4$, 1 4
Hingemounting-plate drillingtemplate. Lee Valley& Veritas C h a m f e rb i t , 1 - 1 1 4i n . d i a .x 2 2 . 5d e g r e e s ,
8065.5300.$5 (800)871-8158, www.leevalley.com 11 5 - 5 7 1$, 3 0
Blumotioninsertfor doors,8970.1002,$3 ea. Edge-tapeedge trimmer,99K40.01, $14. R o u n d - o v ebri t , 1 / 8 i n . r a d . ,1 1 0 - 1 2 9$, 1 5
Blumotionface-framedoubleadapterplate, Carbideboringbit, 35mm, 147-962,$31.

AmericanWoodworkerJANUARv2oos 53
 /ri llrrrct' Kit'l1i'r

l-
 Rott ?roneoe
7, 2eNorePER
I use pressure-sensitive-adhesive (PSA)sandingdiscs.
Foreasy access,I liketo get them out of their packages
and linedup by grit. I hangmy rollsof sandingdiscson
horizontally supporteddowels so I can quicklygrabthe
right grit without lookingat the backside of a disc.

Er ?roreoe
2. EvI-LEVEL
Lots of folks store routerbits in wood blocks.I turned
mine into pull-outblocksmountedat the bottom of my
upper cabinets.The shelvespull out and hang at eye
level while you find the bit you need. Each pull-out
block slideson a pan head screw capturedin a routed
keyholeslot on the bottom of the block (see inset).lf
you want to remove the block and take your bits to
where you're working, just lift
the blockoff the screw and go.
Rout the stopped keyholeslot
in the centerof eachblock.Drilla
1- in. - dia.x 1 /2 -i n .-d e e pfi n g e r
hole in the front of each pull-out
block.On this cabinet,I use filler
blocks to maintainclearancefor Source
the door hinges. M LCS.(800)533-9298,www. mlcswoodworking.com
Carbide-tippedkeyhole-cuttingbit,
3/8-in.-dia.x 1/&in. shank,#5438, $9.
IIJ
\Z

-U
J

f
N
J

5, Eegv-Ao,lugrDnewrnDmoERg
J
co

I
(L

E
(9
l've tried lots of differentdrawerdividersover the years,
-o but none comes closeto this system. lts beautylies in
o
\E its flexibility.As my storage needs change,so can my
z
a
dividers-in an instant! These dividersare friction-fit
o againststripsof 1/4-in.-thick closedcellfoam.
@
.- z
To make the foam inserts,cut pieces of 1/4-in.-thick
^
- fiberboardto fit acrossyour drawer.Use sprayadhesive
z(E
uJ to adhere1/4-in.-thick closed-cellfoamto the fiberboard.
2
o Then set the dividersinto your drawel measuringthe
6 distanceyou need between them. The best way to fit
ul
(E
the dividersis to staft long and slowly trim their lengths
o
F.
.E
untilthey fit snugly.
a
\z Sources
I
.F E A-1 Foam, (9521253-1972
F
=
z
Dynaflei closed-cellfoam,114in. thick, charcoalcolor,
f #X12000,$1 per sq. ft.
Kgrip foam and fabricsprayadhesive,13.25oz.,#701,$11.
a
IIJ

o
E Sears,(800)349-4358,www.sears.com
F Craftsmandrawer liners,mesh roll, 21-314in. x 25G1/2 in.,
o
I.J,J #65190,$30 per roll.
 4. 5wtNo-OtJTDBtttEr Rncx
Thisswingout drillbit rackmeansno more peer-
ing into a dark cabinetor trying to reachover a
forest of sharp bits to get the one way in back.
Just swing out the blockand all your drillacces-
soriesare right where you can.easilyand safely
reachthem.
The rack is 1-114in. thick by 3 in. wide with a
17164.lin.pivot hole.The rack pivotson a 1l#in.
bolt mounted through the bottom shelf with a
lock nut and washer.A rubberbumperacts as a
stop. A couple of 1/8-in.-deepx 1/2-in.-wide
dovetailslots are routed on the front and bacK
edgesof the rackto hold labels.

groneor
5, 1eNorepER
Stored loose in a drawer,my sheet sandpaper
curlslikea potatochip,makingit difficultto han-
dle. This simple sandpaperstoragetray solves
the problem.The tray keeps an assortmentof
gritsflat and readyfor use.The lid is made from
MDt, which is heavyenoughto keep the sand-
paperflat. Attach a grab knob to the center of
the lid.

6,.TueRtonrgcBrw
Rtour n YouB FtNoERTtpe
Nothingis more annoyingthan fumblingthrough
odd-sized, tattered cardboard screw boxes,
paperbags o6 worse yet, old coffee cans.These
translucentplasticboxes,which cost lessthan a
buck apiece,make organizingscrews a snap. I
use two sizes of lidded boxes and one size of
unliddedboxes. I placefastenersI use often into
the unliddedbins.Those I use less often go into
the liddedboxes;a labelstuckto eachlid makes
it easy to identifywhat's in the box.

Sources
UnitedStatesPlasticCorp.,(800)80$4.217, wwvrr.usplastic.com
424ram translucent Flex-A-TopBox.
i 2-118in.x2-118in. x 2-518in., #201203,$0.32 ea.
1O4dram translucent Flex-A-TopBox,
+7132 in. x'l-23f32 in. x 4-bl8 in., #201204,$0.78 ea.
Bin cups for shelf bins,3-114in. x 2 in. x 3 in.,
#52299, $0.28 ea. All

56 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 '*l.tuTl

r{'it
'ftt
*;T

:\{\\E;HH
 icture frames are pretty easy to make, except
when it comes to putting the pieces together. Getting
four mitered corners perfectly cut and glued can
drive you batty! This frame uses a simpler
approach-the half-lap, a traditional furniture maker's
joint. It's very easyto make on the tablesawand resem-
bles a much more complicated mortise-and-tenonjoint.
If you've never made a picture frame or lap joint
before, this is a great project to start with. And it's easy
to make a whole bunch of these frames at the same
time. We'll show you an optional goof-proof sled that
helps make cutting dozens of joints simple, safe and becauseit doesn't cut a flat bottom.) You'll also need a
accurate. rabbeting bit for your router table (Photo 8). We recom-
Our frame is teak, a wood whose rich golden color mend using a brad-point drill bit for the pegs that go into
beautifully complements most photos or artwork. Using the frame's corners (see Sources, page 65). This bit
quartersawn white oak would also look striking. This is makes a cleaner entry hole than a standard tr,vistbit.
a traditional Arts and Crafts-sryleframe, and quartered The uprights, or stiles (A, Fig. .A, below), of this
oak was the preferred wood of that era. If you've got frame are 5/8 in. thick. The cross pieces, or rails (B),
some 8/4 (2-in ) wood, you can make top-grade quar- are 3/4 in. thick. If you don't have a planer to thin
I
(J tersawn pieces for this frame by ripping the board at an down piecesto 5/8 in., that's not a problem. The pieces
o
t angle (see "Make Your Own Quartersawn Lumber," are so narrow that you can make them the right thick-
I
page 63). nesson your tablesaw.Juststand some 3/4.in. pieceson
V
z We've sizedthe frame to fit precut matte and glassavail- edge and rip them to 5/8 in.
CE
L able at many craft stores, so you don't have to cut your Begin.by cutting the stiles and rails to final width and
2 own. The matte is l1 x 14 in. and fits an 8 x lGin. photo. length (see Cutting List, below). At the same time, make
E
You'll need a stacking dado set for your tablesaw to two extra stiles and two extra rails from an inexpensive
F
a
l make the lap joints. (A wobble-type dado set won't work wood to use as test pieceswhen you cut the joints.
J
J
o
U)
o
tU
-
a

t-r.l
\Z Tools: FrcUne A Exptoded
View
> Tablesaw,planer,jointer,
T
o_
routertable,drill press,

F
flush-cutsaw chisel,
mallet,114-in.
drill bit, 13/16'
lJ" \-DADo

I
114-in.rabbetingrouterbit.
a
z
U) Materials:
z
- 2 bd. ft. of hardwoodlumber,
- one 1/4-in,walnutdowel rod.
z
t!
Cost per picture frame:
2 U n d e r$ 1 0 .
tr
O
TJJ
r
o
E

t
o
Overalldimensions:
f
a
x 16-1/16"
314"x13-5116"

5/8"x1-1/8"x16-l/16"
cc
F
x1-114"
314" x 13-5/16"
o
U U4"dia.x 3/4"long

American Woodworker JANUARv 2oob 59

 Build a sled to cut the
half-lap joints (Fig. B,
below).You could sim-
ply use a fence on your
miter gauge, but this
sled is more accurate,is
safer and always deliv-
ers consistent results.
fnstalla3/4-in. dado set
in your saw and raise
the blade 1/8 in. above
the sled. Cut a slot
through the sled's base
and you're readyto go.

Gut a rabbet on one

end of each of your
spare stiles (Fig. C,
page 61).Your goal is
to remove exactly half
t h e t h i c k n e s s .C l a m p
the stop block so the
length of the rabbet
matchesthe width of a
rail. Two passes are
necessary to cut the
full rabbet. RABBET

Test the fit until the two test pieces are flush.The
back of the frame will then be perfectlyflat, which
o is important for accurately cutting the rabbet

: aren't flush, adjust the height of the blade

'".r.* the blade too low rather than too
*.o,. high. becauseyou can recut the
i l V i

i.. same pieces.When you're sat-

^ ^ - - - - - : - - -

isfied, make these cuts on

the ends of all the real
stiles.

60 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 Cut the first half of the
dadoes in all the rails
with the blade at the
same height as in Step
2.Thefull dado requires
two overlapping cuts.
You'll clamp the stop
blockin a differentposi-
tion for each cut. For
the first cut, mark the
dado on a test rail. Line
up the outside mark
with the right-handcut
in the sled.

Cut the second half of

the dado only in a test
piece. Move the stop
block so the inside
dado mark lines up
with the left-hand cut
in the sled.

Test fit one corner.Your goal is to have the two

piecesslip by each other to make a tight fit with-
out requiring any force. lf the joint is too tight,
move the stop blockand recutthe test piece.lf the
joint is too loose, make the dado narrower by
adding a piece or two of tape to the stop
block's end. Try the new setting out on
\ the second test piece.When you're
satisfiedwith the fit, continue cut-
ting the actual rails.Sand all

"\J'-l the pieces to 150 grit.

Slightly round all
the edges with
sandpaper.

American Woodworker JAN UARY

 Glue the frame togeth-
er.You don't need much
glue or clampingpres-
sure. Spring clamps
work fine, so you don't
have to worry about
marring freshly sanded
surfaces. Remove any
squeezed-outglue with
a sharp stick before the
glue. hardens.Wipe off
the stick's glue on a
damp rag as you go.

Rout a rabbet all the

way:€roundthe frame's
back (Figure D). Use a
rabbeting bit with a
BALL. ball-bearing pilot.
BEARING
PILOT The pilot rides on
the inside of the
frame to control
the depth of
cut. Make this
cut in two
passes.Raise
the router bit
so the first cut is
1/4 in. high; then
raise the bit so
the second cut is
3/8 in. high.

Overallrabbet opening: 11-1/16"

x 14-1/16"

Square the rabbet's corners using a wide chisel.Cut across

.the grain first, then with the grain, then acrossagain, and so
"on,takingsmall cuts to avoid splinteringthe wood. When the
rabbet is complete, order the glass. lt should be 1/16 in.
smallerthan the opening.Tobe on the safeside,your best bet
is to give the frame to the glasscutter.(Precut11x 14-in.glass
to fit the frame is also widely available.)

62 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 h,{;,rkc v{}tir {}\Aitr-}
treT'tcrsa\tu'g}
L-)H '-\rye

IJr]T]her 'c!n/ra'r"
{&
# CHERRY

MAPLE

I )'o) u . l \ e g()t
I _ s)(n1tte l sl)ar'(' l
\ // 1- l (2-i
Uz . - ii rr rt .) l t l

ll'i r b(' \l "l l -' (( l)rt r n c l'

l'ii n
sh<hI o P,, i t 'S: cil:iV
ftrO)Tf l n i i t i i r )t t ( ) s t
t ee'ff sST '
\ \ ' l l t \ \l o < l d
tI\\ L

ra
fl'r (.
(
Iul lIt' r ' . Qt\ l A l ' t (
('

l't))(()ss t L'
Llrt
:rl ( ,'Cf\'\
c\' nrrethin
l ('rc i a
s ll )x a Il , 2Lncl
ll q
'onr sl)c
I

( ) SPc
t ( l) I c c::iic
5 s L,r'r
i c s. piecr' o1
r k :rP lle or
( r) 1a li , , l l l l l 2 'l l rr-prisc'r
t r ii trhlr i rnt i t .
{b il
% .
I
&
&
,f
-r+
k
;c*.!.r

{t"{ I &

ii i/

;i ll t Return the blade to 90

,,, degrees and saw off the
Mark both ends of a milled B/4 board with a series of paral- a n g l e d e d g e s .M a k e s u r e t h e
l e l l i n e s t h a t r u n a t r i g h t a n g l e s t o t h e g r o w t h r i n g s . T i l tt h e edge that runs along the fence
blade to match the angle of the first cut-just eyeball it. has the point facing up. lf it faces
Move the fenceand make the secondcut at the same angle. d o w n , i t c o u l d g e t t r a p p e d u n d e r n e a t ht h e f e n c e . R u n
Next, turn the board around and repeatthe same proce- the pieces through the planer, and you're ready to
d u r e f o r t h e o t h e r o u t s i d e e d g e . C o n t i n u et o w o r k y o u r w a y m a k e a v e r y s p e c i a lp i c t u r ef r a m e .
from the outside in. so the last cuts vou make are for the
c e n t e r p i e c e s ,w h e r e v o u r d r a w n l i n e s a r e a l m o s t v e r l i c a l .
 GLASS

BACK OF
FRAME

ere's horv to expertly mollnt photos and artwork

to protect them from moisture and damage.
ffi
MOUNTING

rl Position the aftwork in the matte's

1 Hingethe matteto a mounting board
| (a solid piece of acid-freematte or
foam core board). Butt the top edges
togetherand securethem with acid-free
m o u n t i n gt a p e ( s e eS o u r c e sp, a g e6 5 ) .
Z opening. Keep the artwork from
shifting by weighing it down with a
block of wood that has acid-freematte
b o a r dg l u e d t o i t s b o t t o m ,
z) Mount the art to the mounting board
r) using T-shaped hinges, which allow
the artwork to expand and contract,
staying wrinkle-free. Fasten the tape
sticky-sideup on the back side of the a11-
work, at the top corners only. Place a
second piece of tape, sticky-side down,
as close to the aftwork as possible.

PAD st'
F
'#i*r"",

''i#A€l*
DOUBLE-
FACEDTAPE

,{ Install clean glass.The best way to
A k e e pf i n g e r p r i n t sd, i r t a n d l i n t o f f t h e
matte and glass is to wear darkroom
gloves. Installthe artwork, mounting
b o a r da n d m a t t e .
6 S e c u r et h e a s s e m b l yw i t h b r a d s o r
s,l glazier's points. The safest way to
p u s h i n t h e b r a d si s b y u s i n g a p a i r o f
a d j u s t a b l ep l i e r s .
trl Protect the artwork from dust and
V i n s e c t sb y s e a l i n g t h e b a c k o f t h e
f r a m e w i t h a p a p e r d u s t s h i e l d .A g r o -
cery bag or kraft paperworks fine.After
i n s t a l l i n gt h e p a p e r ,d a m p e n i t w i t h a
s p o n g e . T h ep a p e rw i l l s h r i n ka s i t d r i e s ,
l e a v i n ga t i g h t ,w r i n k l e - f r e e
dustshield.

Anrerican \\boclu,or-kel JANUARy 2oo5

 Cut off the dowels with a flush-cut saw. Hold the
blade down against the frame, press into the
dowel and saw slowly. A good flush-cut saw
shouldn't leaveany saw marks on your frame, but
it's a good idea to practicefirst on the back of the
f r a m e .O n l y a m i n i m u m o f c l e a n u ps a n d i n gi s n e c -
essary.Finishthe frame with shellacor varnish.

'
Drill a hole all the way through each corner of the
.frame using a brad-point bit. Glue 1/4-in. dowels
to each hole. Use a contrasting wood to empha-
, ;dize this accent (see Sources, below). Small dow-
Lbls vary in diameter, so it's a good idea to drill a
',,., ' test hole first.You may need to switch to a slightly
undersize bit to get a good fit.The brad point bit I
used comes in 1/64-in. sizes (see Sources).

Sources
Groff & Groff Lumber Co.
(800)3424001, www.groffslumber.com
4l4 reak, $16 per bd. ft.

The Wood & Shop Inc.

13141731 -2761,wrrvw.woodnshop.com
l/4-in.-dia.x 3Gin. walnut dowel,#221077,$2.

Lee ValleyTools Ltd.

(800)871-8153, uwvw.leevalley.com
Veritasflush-cutsaw, singleedge,#05K34.01,$15
1/4-in.brad-pointdrillbit, #07J02.16,$4.

Woodworker'sHardware
(800)38341 30, www.wwhardware.com
rabbetingrouterbit set, #CMT835.501.11,
CMT 1/2-in.-shank $44.

PENCOGraphicSupplyInc.
(800)967-7367,www.artsuppliesonline.com Fit the glass, matte, photo or art into the
Acid-freematte board,32 x 40-in.sheets, $12 to $19 frame and secure with fasteners. For more
Gummedframe/hinge-sealing tape,#LI533-0751, $10
information on installingthese materials,see
Darkroomgloves,#PGS,$1 per pair.
"How To Mount Artworki' page 64. Attach
hangersor eye hooks and wire onto the back
of the frame. fW

American Woodworker JANUARY 2oo5 65

 Ti for Masterin

Featherboa.rds The featherboard getsits name from the rowsof

are hKehaung flexible "fingers" that act like a bird's feather and
givewayin one direction only. They help ensure
arJ,cXtrq
sgT ruftty and accuracy,because they keep consistent

oJ nar]osln pressureon stockwhere it's needed most, close

to the cut. They're indispensablefor eliminating

theshoo. bumps on a molded edge or uneven bottoms in

rabbetsand dadoes.

going\^ft&e Shopmade featherboardsare often superior to

commercial ones,becauseth.y can be custom fit

no tmgers
to your machinesand th.y cost next to nothirg.
All the featherboardsin this article were made

eversh6fu1,C. from the tlpe of scraplumber and plyvood that

can be found in anyshop.

PrnFEc_lPnrssunE
EvrnY Trvrr
Positioning a featherboard can be a pain.
Too close to the fence or table and the squeeze
is so tight you can barely feed the stock. Too
loose and you've lost effectiveness. Tiy taking
about 1/8 in. off the first feather. Set that end
against the stock you plan to machine and
clamp the featherboard parallel to the table's
fence. The pressure should automatically be
just right.

66 Amelican \A/oodrvorker JANUARy 2oo5

 Dl Jock and SusanHolmen

m
rE
I
E
w
z

tr The safest way to make featherboards is on the bandsaw

2 using a simple sled with a miter slot runner. Cut a 3O-degree
tr
E.
angle on one end of the featherboard blank first. Mark a
F
a
f
parallel line about2-1/2 in. from the angled end. Set the
J
J blank on the sled and make the first cut from the end to the
a

z line. Then, slide the featherboard over to the next mark to

UJ
make the second cut and continue across the board's
z
width.
A feather length of about 2-l /2 in. with cuts made every
E
7/8 in. provides the right balance between flexibility (for
- firm pressure without being too stiffl and strength (so the
E
feathers won't snap off) for most hardwoods or multi-ply
F
birch. Increase the feather spacing to 3/1&lin when you
I
o_
a are using softer woods, such as pine or basswood, or regu-
z
lar hardwood pl;,rruood.You can always fine-tune the length
z and spacing to suit your own needs.

\x
r
-
z
E
LU
N RUNNER
2

6
.F
TE

a Tall SUpPORT
FoR Tnll Srocrc
*H
v

e
F
F
=
*f,t
z A tall featherboard can apply pres-
l
sure against the entire height of the
LL'

a fence. It's especially useful for hold- '-;.#i,

E ing tall, narrow stock-for instance, a

door panel-against a fence.Just glue
some scraps to create a block that is as
tall as your fence is. Then, cut the
feathers on your bandsaw sled.

Arnerican \4bodrr'orkel JANUARY 2oo5 67

ffiffim ,

Brr-BnlDGtNG
FTnTHERBoARD
This wraparound featherboard produces
chatter-free moldings, becanse it provides
continuous pressure ahead of and behind
the cutter. Cut a 2-in. arc in the end of the
blank before you cut the feathers.

GUnnANTEED
Sounnr EncES>
Jointing an absolutely square edge on a wide
board can be tricky for someone new to the
jointer. The least little tip away from the fence
and you'll have to start over. This paddle-style
3132"x2-314"x3- 112" featherboard can bridge your jointer's guard

=dt
while keeping your stock pushed firmly against
the fence. The paddle featherboard is easy
to make and is just as useful on
3/32"x 1"
. DEEP a tablesaw or router table
(Fig. A, below).

FrcungA ExplooeoVrew
Cut the angleds lot si n th e b a r o n th e
tablesaw with a thin kerf blade.Tilt the blade to
45 degreesand use your miter gauge to guide the bar. Plane
paddle stock to fit the slots. Each paddle is screwed into place.This
allows you to replacebroken paddlesor use longer,more flexible ones.

OurcK, ERSY
FTanHERBoARD
FnsruNERs
Clamping a featherboard on a tablesaw
can be a hassle. T:track fasteners allow you
to quickly and easily position a feather-
board just ahead of the blade for rip cuts.
To make this style of featherboard, cut
deep slots for the T:track fasteners as you
cut the feathers on vour bandsaw.

Source
Woodcraft,800-225-1
153,www.woodcraft.com
TraxMiterT-Slot
FixtureKit,#143239,
$6.

68 American
 #f'
,'"/ffi
85--'
L'+

A SHonr*Frrvcr FTanHFRBoARD
Sotrletimesyou want a featherboard to opply pressure risht over the blade, as PLYWOOD
tr'hen you're ctrtting a rabbet. But clamping a long, ltarrow featherboard onto a
short fetlce catr sivc votr fits. This long pl1'wood featherboard isjtrst the ticket.
It clamps easilv ottto the sqtrat tablesarv fence because tl-re clamps are far
-43o'wEDGE
rerrroved fi-om the feathers and the blade.
Most featl'rerboards are made rvith tl-refeathers parallel to the grair-r,btrt this
I
oue reqrtircs thc feathers to be cut acfoss the grain. Be strre to make it from ply- f

f
lvood ol'\rotlr- cross-srained featherboard will start to look like rny 8-year-olcl's
srnile-lots of rtrissilte tee th. To ctrt these feathers, trse the salrle slecl as you clo
fbr the parallel-ur-ain boards, btrt add a 3O-clegreerveclge.

Loruc-REACH
Frnru ERBoARD
A long arm on a featherboard
takes the hassle otrt of clarnping
it on a tablesarv. Featherboards
need to be secured at two points
to prevent pivoting. Securing a
sinsle featl-rerltoard across a
tablesaw's large expanse can be
\ clifficult, if not irnpossible. The
B I S C U I T/
JOINT ."':4 solution is to biscuit an arm at a
I 3O-degree angle to the feather-
FEATHERBOARD board. Position the featherboard
just in front of the blade for rip
cuts. lW

{xa;t;ti;"*;*"*.*' "'"*nftS

Aurelican \Abodtvorkcr lnN

 Tool Reviernr o
U
F

ffiffitr ffi ?KRff

a
v)
)
U
z
:)
2
U
U)
I
U
z
z
=
From $go to $o,ooo,
I
all love wood, whether it's a wide clear board a

X ,.,r{f* =
V V q".. or a gnarly slab with wild grain. Thar's why saw- o_

there'$ a machine ing our own lumber crosses the minds of most wood-
E
(9

for anyone rnrho has workers. It might be inspired by the sighr of a big tree
I
o_
a
z
ever dreamed of blown down by u storm, a custom tabletop made from a)
U)
o_

only one or two slabs of unusual wood or the thought of

making lumber. a
o
;
free wood. Whatever reason, the idea of do-it-yourself o
DyRandyJohnson 2
lumber making holds a certain amount of intrigue for o
(-)
F

most of us. U
E
o
F
cr

70 Americar-r Woodworker JANUARy 2oo5

 Now here'sa board to brag about! At2-114in.thick by 20 in. wide by 9 ft.
l o n g ,t h i s w h i t e o a k b o a r d h a s e x c i t i n gt a b l e t o pp o s s i b i l i t i e s .

HnTDHELD FnavrE-MoUNTED
Most handheld mills fit Frame-mounted mills stand on the ground. They
into the trunk of a car weigh from 85 to 1,900 lbs. and must be towed or hauled
and are easy to carry into in a trailer or pickup truck. They range in price from
the forest or to wherever $2,000 to $5,700 for an entryJevel machine.
you plan to cut your
Comparedwith t
lumber. They range in U
t
h a n d h e l dm i l l s , l
weight from 7 to 45 lbs. frame-mounted
F
O

and in price from $90 fl

mills work faster, l
z
to $1,600-excluding r e q u i r el e s sm u s -
cle to operateand
a chainsaw,which they o
will generally o
all use. I used a make straighter, -o_
Huskavarna smoother cuts.
385XP
($800)for
power. It's has
about 85 cc. You can get
by with a smaller chainsaw,
but it may test your patience.

Handheld mills have the distinct

advantage of being lightweight
n d extremelyportable.
a nd trailer package

72 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 Mttrn Mtll
GnnTBERGlrurunruATtoNAL ll
The Mini Mill II attaches directly to the
chainsaw bar with nvo bolts. The mill follows a
metal guide strip that you screw onto a 2x6
guide board. The mill comes with six 2-ft. sec-
tions of guide strips, but you can purchase
more. The guide board mounts to the logwith
two nails at each end and must be reattached
for each cut. The upside to attaching the gurde
board each time is that each cut will be as
straight as the guide board. I found the vertical
operating position surprisingly comfortable,
because you do almost all the pushing with
your arrns and legs rather than your back. I
raised the log on a pair of supports to keep the
tip of the chainsaw bar from hitting the
ground. I made this &in. x &in. x &ft. oak
beam in about 20 minutes.
Cost: $90, without chainsaw. MY FAVORM
Weight 7 lbs.,without chainsaw. HANDHELDMITL
Maximum log diameter: Chainsawbar length minus 2 to 4 in.
PRO:Very
Maximum cutting width: Chainsawbar lengthminus 2 to 4 in. comfortable
Maximum cutting thickness: Unlimited.
Maximum cutting length: Unlimited.
l!lLilg_!g:,!gn:
OON:Reattaching
Recommended chainsaw: 56 cc or larger. guide board for
(8661233-6499, www. granberg.com each cut.

uJ
z
Locosor-
l
I TTvTBERJTG
V

E
o_
The Timberjig attaches to
the same nvo bolts that hold
the chain bar to the saw. It
uses a guide board only for
squaring the log. After thab
the jig's guide fence follows
the cut surface of the log.
The mill's horizontal posi-
tion allows yop to saw a log
on the ground without risk
GUIDEFENCE of hitting the ground. Oryou
can raise the log to waist
height and saw it without
bending over.

Cost: $165.without chainsaw

Weight: 11 lbs.,without chainsaw.
Maximum log diameter: Length of
chainsawbar minus 2 in.
Maximum cutting width: Lengthof
chainsawbar minus 2 in.
Maximum cutting thickness: 9 in.
Maximum cutting length: Unlimited.
Recommended chainsaw: 56 cc or
larger.
(8771564-6765, www.logosol.com

American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos 73

 t-; ffiANffiHRG
*I''JTilffig\ATI*NAL
AlnsKAN VI K-lll [V]rr-r
The Alaskan MK-III Nlill cornes in fir,e
lengths, from the 24-in. rnodel shorvn
here to a lanky 5&in. model for rcall,,*big
logs. The rnill attaches to both ends of
the chainsal' bar. Dual stride bars pro-
vide a rvider, rnore stable guide system
than those on other handheld mills.
Yotr rnust be car-eftrl,holeveq not to let
the mill tip or ride trp rvhile sawing or
yotr will produce all Llltevelt cut, which
rvill affect all ftrture ctrls. Ptrshing the
saw througl-r the lclu requires a good
amorurt of back rnuscle and cuttir-rea lot
of ltunber rvitl-r this mill rvill give yotr a
serious rvorkotrt.

Cost:$'l85to $245,wirhout
chainsaw.
Weight: 16 to 21 lbs.,without chainsaw.
M a x i m u m l o g d i a m e t e r : 2 ' 1t o 5 3 i n .
Maximum cutting width: 21 to 53 in.
Maximum cutting thickness: 13 in.
The MK-lllrideson two 2x4sfor the first squaringcuts.The2x4s areconnectedto Maximum cutting length: Unlimited.
eachother withT-track permitsthe 2x4sto be adjustedfor
at both ends.TheT-track Recommended chainsaw: 65 cc or larger.
w i d e o r n a r r o wl o g s . (8661 233-6499, www.granberg.com

w ljffi'+
G U I D EB A R

ffi
A f t e r t h e l o g i s s q u a r e d t, h e g u i d e b a r s r i d e d i r e c t l yo n t h e s u r f a c eo f t h e l o g f o r a l l f u t u r ec u t s .
T h e g u i d e b a r s c l a m p t o v e r l i c a ls u p p o l t sa n d a r e a d j u s t a b l et o c o n t r o lt h e c u t ' st h i c k n e s s .

74 '\nrclican \\irorll'orker JANUARY 2oob

 SoUTHEASTERN| ruousrnrAl
RrsouRcEsRrpsaw
The Ripsaw handheld bandsaw mill uses a
chainsaw engine for power. Its thin 1/l6lin.
kerf makes the mill much easier than a chain-
saw mill to push through a log. You must still be
careful not to rock or tip the saw while cutting,
because each consecutive cut will be no better
than the one before it. Practice and steady
hands will limit the problem. If an uneven cut
does occur, it's best to reattach the guide beam
and reestablish a straight, flat cut. The Ripsaw
comes with nvo 6&in. guide-beam sections.
Additional sections can be purchased.

Cost:$1,589,withoutchainsaw.
Weight:45 lbs.,withoutchainsaw.
Maximumlog diameter:20 in.
Maximumcuttingwidth: 14 in.
Maximumcuttingthickness:9 in.
Maximumcuttinglength:Unlimited.
Recommended chainsaw:56 cc or larger.
The Ripsaw uses an extruded-aluminumbeam as a guide to squarethe 1256l.728-3070,www. ri psaw.com
log.Thissturdy,straightguide system is the best among those for all the
handheld mills I tried. The adjustablemounting bracketsmake it very
easy to level the beam on the log or square it with a previouscut.

I made a ramp stand to get the log off the ground

and up to a more comfortableworking height, lt's
a simple devicethat'swell worth building.

. * -\

,.:,,

It takes less effort to push t h e R i p s a wm i l l t h r o u g h a l o g t h a n i t d o e s a c h a i n s a wm i l l , becausethe Ripsaw'sbandsaw

b l a d et a k e so n l y a 1 / 1 6 - i nkerf.
. Wedges screwed to the ramp stand keep the log from r o l l i n gd u r i n g s a w i n g .

American Woodworker JANUARv 2oo5 75

 Locosor- M7
WoonwoRKER's Mtll
The M7 Woodworker's Mill uses a chainsaw
mounted to a guide beam to cut lumber. The
log is raised by a crank-and-ratchet system and
cut at waist level, a very comfortable arrange-
ment. The mill is easily transported on a small
trailer or in a pickup bed. Setting up the mill
at a new location takes less than 15 minutes;
you simply set the mill in place, shim the feet
to remove any rocking, and attach the ramps
to the frame and the chainsaw to the guide T h e c h a i n s a wr u n s o n a g u i d e r a i l a n d i s f e d t h r o u g ht h e l o g b y t u r n i n g
rail. Roll the log up the ramps, and you're a c r a n kt h a t w i n d s u p a h e a v yc o r d a t t a c h e dt o t h e f a r e n d o f t h e r a i l . T h i s
straightforwardsystem is easyto use and producesconsistentlystraight,
ready to go.
f l a t b o a r d s . T h es a w n s u r f a c ei s s u r p r i s i n g l ys m o o t h f o r a c h a i n s a wc u t
a n d a b o u tt h e s a m e q u a l i t ya s t h e r o u g h s a w nb o a r d sf r o m a c o m m e r c i a l
C o s t :$ 1 , 9 9 5w i t h o u tc h a i n s a w . c i r c u l a rs a w m i l l .
W e i g h t :8 5 l b s . ,w i t h o u tc h a i n s a wo r w o o d r a m p s .
M a x i m u m l o g d i a m e t e r : 3 6i n .
Maximum cutting width: Lengthof chainbar.
Maximum cutting thickness: 16 in.
Maximum cutting length: 99 in.
Recommendedchainsaw: 65 cc or larger.
(877)564-6765,www.logosol.com

The M7 Woodworker'sMill
uses long wood ramps to
r a i s et h e l o g o n t o t h e m i l l .
You providethe wood for the
ramps and Logosolprovides
the hardwareto attachthem.
A c a n t h o o k i s u s e dt o r o l l a
log up the ramps and a 2x4
works as a stop behindthe
log. Metal rods insertinto a
seriesof holesto providean
extra measureof safety.The
ramps have a low slope,so
r o l l i n ga l o g u p i s n o t d i f f i c u l t .

MY FAVORITE
MILL
FRAME.MOUNTED
PROS:Lightweight,
easyto operate,makes
consistentlyflat cuts.
C O N SS ; l o w e rt h a n
frame-mountedbandsaw
m i l l s .h a s a 1 / 4 - i nt.h i c k
kerf.
 Frame-mounted bandsaw mills form a huge group.
More than 30 brands are on the market. Many are
designed for the full-time lumber maker and can cost
$30,000 or more. However, a few entry-level machines fall
in the $2,700 to $6,000 range. Adding a trailer package
and a larger engine, plus shipping, will increase this price
tag by at least $1,000. If you plan to saw more than a few
dozen logs a year, though, you should probably consider
buyrng one. A fiame-mounted bandsaw mill works much
faster than a chainsawmill and its thinner kerf means an
extra board or two out of each log. Here are four repre-
sentativemachines.

cc
uJ
E.
l
NonwooD LuvrBERLrru
F
(J
The Lumberlite rides on angle irons mounted to wood
f,
f
z beams. You can make this guide system as long as yoq like. A
trailer package is not available for the Lumberlite, but this com-
pact machine can be hauled on a utility trailer or in the back of
a pickup truck.

Gost Startsat $2,595with a 6-hp pull- Maximum cutting thickness: 24 in.

start gas engrne. Maximum cutting length: 8 ft.
Weight: 500 lbs. (8001567-0404
Maximum log diameter:24 in. wvvw. norwoodi ndusties. com
Maximum cutting width: 17 in.

WOOD-MIZER LT 15
The LT 15's optional log ramps have springJoaded antiroll
stops to prevent a log from rolling backward. They work great.
A trailer package, larger engine, bolt-on bed extensions and
other options are available.

Cost: Startsat $5,350with a 13-hp Maximum cutting width: 23 in.

gas engine.
recoil-start Maximum cutting thickness: 10 in.
Weight:830lbs. Maximum cutting length: 11 ft.
Maximum log diameter: 28 in. (8001553-0182, www.woodmizer.com

tJ-t
r
l Coorc'sSnw Mrc. MP-32
f, The MP-32 uses a sturdy 3-in. x 6-in. welded rectangular
l
z steel frame. The optional trailer package allows the saw to be
operated at waist height for easyboard removal. The mill can
be ordered with a cutting length up to 26 ft. and still remain
portable or an unlimited length for a stationary installation. A
larger engine, loading ramps and other options are available.

Gost: Startsat $5,495with a 8-1/2-hp Maximum cutting width: 24 in.

pull-startgas engine. Maximum cutting thickness: 16 in.
Weight: 1,900lbs. Maximum cutting length: 12 ft.
Maximum log diameter:32 in. (8001473-4804, wvwry.cooksaw.com

(E
uJ
(E
l T T w T B E R K T w1c2 2 O
()
f,
l
The TimberKing 1220 usesa fourpost cutting head design for
z extra support. The one-piece welded frame and saw head have a
durable baked-on powder<oated finish. A trailer package,larger
engine, bed extensions and other options are available.

Cost: Startsat $5,695with a 1s-hp Maximum cutting width: 29 in.

electric-startgas engine. Maximum cutting thickness: 18 in.
Weight: 1,000lbs. Maximum cutting length: 12 ft.
Maximum log diameter:29 in. (800) 9rf2-4406,www.timberking.com

American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos 77

 here are three reasons to make your
own lumber. One, to make your own RrpPrNGCHnrrus
unique lumber. Two, to save money. Cur BrrrER
Three, for the fun of it.
Milling your own lumber for its unique fig-
Usinga chainsawto make lum-
ure or grain is one of the best reasons to do it
ber requires a special ripping
yourself. Equipped with a sawmill, you will be
chain. The teeth of a ripping
able to cut boards exactly the way you want
chain are filed at a lGdegree
them, whether that means extra thick or extra
cutting angle,whereas a stan-
wide, and you can produce lumber that's not
dard crosscut chain has teeth
available from any lumberyard.
filed at 30 degrees. Ripping
Saving money on lumber is possible, espe-
saw chain is availablethrough
cially if you have a good source of inexpensive
most chainsawretailers,as well
or free saw logs. However, you will have the
as from Logosol and Granberg
cost of the sawmill, related tools and your time
International.
to consider. For common species, you may find
it tough to compete with the price of lumber
from commercial mills. For less common T
species of wood or special cuts, I found I came
out ahead.

,-f
As for the fun of sawing, I found lumber
making very enjoyable. It's exciting to slice
open a new log and see what's inside. It is,
however, hard physical work. Consider this: A
l&in.-dia. by S-ft.Jong hardwood log weighs
about 700 pounds. That's a lot of weight to roll
around. It's best to partner with a friend and
use a pair of cant hooks to roll the logs-or
better yet, use a tractor to move them. Your
back will thank you.
You should also consider that working with
a chainsaw, logs and related sawmill equip-
ment can be very dangerous. Make sure to use
all the recommended safety gear, which
includes chainsaw chaps and protection for
your head, eyes, face, ears, hands and feet. A/l/

After your lumber is sawn, you need to store and

dry it properly. For information on building your
own lumber-dryingkiln, see "DryYour Own Wood;'
AW #94, June 2002, pages 42-55.

FoR nnonE rNFoRMl\TroN

Sawmilling for Woodworkers by Charlie

GriffinandRobBjorklund.
Available
from
Logosol,(8771564-6765,
$30.
Harvesting Urban Timber by SamSherrill.
from Logosol,(877)564-6765,
Available $26.
lndependent $awmill and Woodlot
Management magazine. A yearly
subscription
of eightissues,available
by
phone,(888)762-8476,$25.

78 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 o
L!
F
O
o
z
U
a
=
E
U
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American \A/oodworker J A N U A R Y 2 O O 5

"EventhoughFatherknewbestmostof the time,Motherintroduced him to BRIWAX. Shehad

usedit for yearsto polishher furnishingslongbeforeFathereverstartedbuiidingandfinish-
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 #*-

e d i t e dD 1T i m J o h n s o n

I've learned woodworking by trial and error. OK lots of

errors. I've cut boards too short and mounted doors upside
down. I've recoated finishes too soon and failed to clamp
glue-ups soon enough. I've cut dovetails that slope backward
and routed mortises in the wrong place. I've torn out with
my router, gouged with my belt sander and chattered with
my lathe. I've wandered with my bandsaw, sniped with my
planer and kicked-back with my tablesaw.
You might say I've done it all-wrong. But over the
years, my mistakes have been good teachers. They've
taught me the importance of using proper wood-
working techniques, wearing safety gear, keeping m,v
tools in top condition and avoiding distractions n'hen
I'm in my shop. And thanks to my mistakes, I'l'e also
learned thejoy of making good repairs!
Tim "Oops!"Johnson

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FeUNE-BasEo
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After reading that burnishing lathe-turned objects with F
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wood shavings leaves a lustrous, silky smooth finish, I 2

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decided to try it on the goblet I had turned the day E
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before. I returned to my basement shop, reached down a

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and grabbed a handful of shavings from the pile that a

had accumulated at the base of the lathe. (,

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I started the lathe and pressed the shavings Y
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against the spinning goblet. What a great tech- U

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nique! But then I noticed an awful smell. I (,
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removed my hand and sniffed the shavings. =t{,: z

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Phew! Evidently, our cat had used the pile of 2

shavings as a litter box-I'd polished my goblet F
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with essence of cat pee! E.
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BiIl Esbosito
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88 American Woodworker JANUARv 2oos

 GroursGlsor
Woodrnrorker

Woodworkers aren't perfect housemates. We make lots of

dust and noise and occupy a largeamount of space.Actions
that seem perfectly reasonable to us may be considered
annoyinghabits by our companions.When we asked wood-
worker spousesto air their frustrations,the responsewas over-
whelming; our ears are still burning.Here are their 10 most
frequentlyvoicedcomplaints.

lOThere's never room for my car in the garage.

9 t. keeps bringinghome piecesof wood that he's found,

l i k es t r a ya n i m a l s .B u t h e n e v e ru s e st h e m , s o o u r h o u s ef e a -
tures an unusual"woodpiles everywhere" d6cor.

8 * " s p e n d s h o u r s s c o u r i n ga n t i q u es h o p s f o r o l d t o o l s ,
a n d I ' m t i r e d o f b e i n g d r a g g e da l o n g a n d s t a r i n g a t d i n g y
knick-knacks, worn-out furniture and salt and pepper shaker
collections.
SrenrrH WooowoRKtNG
7*.,,, and screws left in pockets make an ungodly racket \Arhile browsing through woodworking maga-
when they go through the washing machineand dryer. zines at a local bookstore, I spotted plans for a
project that really excited me. Since I didn't want
6 O problem in the shop casts a gloomy pall over the entire to purchase the whole magazine for only one set
house. of plans, I secretly made sketches.
F Back in my shop, I started building, but I soon
C His "good" woodworking tools are off-limitsfor the rest
got stuck. My hastily drawn sketches didn't make
of us, but he can't bear to buy "homeowner-grade"replace-
sense. So I made a return trip to the store and
ments, so there simply aren't any tools in the utilitydrawer.
furtively drafted a new set of sketches. Back on the
{ p"', obliviousto the sawdust trail he leavesthroughout project, however, I got stumped again. And again!
the house. On my fourth trip to the bookstore, having
wasted a couple weekends and several pieces of
3 tn" outlineof his tape measure.gets worn into the back lumber, I couldn't find the magazine. It had been
pocket of his jeans,so peopleare always staringat his buttl replaced on the rack by a new issue. Argh! I had
to back-order the old issue (and wait for it) before
2 *, hair is wet, l'm late for work and my hair dryer has
I could finish my project. It ended up costing
disappearedfrom the bathroom.lf he has borrowed it again
more than buying the issue in the first place!
t o r e m o v eo l d g l u e , l ' l l a l i p h a t i ch i s h i d e l
RobntJ. Collins
And the N O. 1 grouse of the woodworker spouse:
He keeps saying he's going to build things,
but all he does is buy tools.

Spouses! Have we left your grouses off the list? Tell us about them! If we print your grouse, you'll get $100! At the very least, yotr'll feel better
after venting your frustrations! Send your grouses to Spouses' Grouses, American Woodworker, 2915 Commers Drive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN
/ 55L21 or e-mail to oops@readersdigest.com. Submissions can't be returned and become the magazine's property upon acceptance and palrnent.
We may edit submissions and use them in all print and electronic media

90 American Wooclworker JANUARY 2oo5

 Dnern Sprnat
A woodworking pal of mine (who wishes to be anony-
mous) received a commission to build and install a spi-
ral staircase, a project he'd never previously attempted.
First, he built a scale model to work out the con-
struction details and fine-tune his design. Then he tack-
led the full-size staircase, installing steps and balusters
around the center upright. He spent hours working
from a ladder. Luckily, his shop has 1Z-ft. ceilings.
He built an enormous box to steam-bend the
rail and skirt board pieces. All available hands
helped to bend the steaming hot pieces
around the frame and clamp them in place.
Unfortunately, the ensuing celebration
quickly turned into a suicide watch when
someone mentioned to my pal that the model
and his just-completed stairway spiraled in
opposite directions.
Daue Munkittrick

:?i

iiCur-aR-SAW
SprruDocron
My new neighbor swore he had plenty of
carpentry experience as he set up to build a
\ deck behind his house. I noticed the blade on
his brand-new circular saw was very dark and
burned, so I offered him a new one, which he
accepted and installed.
As he began to cut, I couldn't help but
notice the billowing smoke and the difficulty
he was having. When I asked if there was a
problem, he responded that the wood was just
too hard for his saw.
When I looked closer. I realized that he must
have fibbed about his previous carpentry expe-
rience. He had installed the new blade back-
ward, so it was scraping the wood and burning
instead of cutting. This blade was now as
scorched and worthless as his original one.
When I pointed out his mistake, he admitted
his rookie-woodworker status and responded
jokingly, "Doesn't this saw have a reverse
switch?"
Daae Patane

If you have a woodworking blunder yourre willing to share, sent it to us. You'll receive $100 for each one we print. Sent to AW Oops!, American
Woodworker, 2915 Commers Drive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55121, or e.mail to oops@readersdigest.com. Submissions can't be retlrrned and become our
ProPerty UPon acceptance and pa).rnent. We may edit submissions and use them in all print and electronic media.

92 American Woodworker JANUARY2oos

 Surp SHor
\Arhen I was a kid. I decided to make
my own hockey stick in my dad's work-
shop. I drew the shape on a 2x12
board and cut it out on the band-
saw. At 2-in., the stick was too

?:,?
',tt l(

.
,
c
thick, so I decided to resaw it.
Brilliant! I'd get two perfectly
sized sticks out of the deal.
With the fence set, I laid the
+ <'
stick handle flat on the saw
:L' eo
-t table and fed the stick's
F* \r 1 blade end into the saw.
: OX- u *o W h e n l w o k e u p ,I w a s
$ flat on mY back, and mY
J,(- $f
- .
o . . jaw felt as though I'd been
t'
kicked by a horse. The salv
had grabbed the cantilevered
stick blade and slammed it down
to the table. Consequently, the
handle flew up and nailed me right
in the chin. It was a knockout!
VnnJohnson

i-q.

Wnv
WooowoRKERS
Wran Prrur
UIvDERWEAR
After spending the day sand-
ing a mahogany armoire, my
husband threw his sweaty,
mahogany-dust-caked T:shirt
into the laundry with the rest
of his whites. Naturally, all of
his underwear came out pink.
Janet "Mrs. Oops!"Johnson

94 American Woodrvorker JANUARv 2oob

 at
I Tne Srness-REueveo Top W h a t h a p p e n e d ?A l i t t l e m o r e t h a n
Hey! Why is the top of my table halfwayaroundthe arch,the bit started
cracked? The darn thing is only six tearing out the wood-the last half-
months old. When I built it last sum- i n c h o f t h e b l a n kr i p p e do f f c o m p l e t e l y .
mer, I decidedthe best way to keep the I forgot that when you rout an arch,
top from warping was to glue and y o u r o u t a g a i n s tt h e g r a i n h a l f o f t h e
screw it securely to the base-l guess t i m e . I s h o u l dh a v e s m o o t h e dt h e a r c h
that was a bad idea.I shouldhave useo w i t h a s a n d i n gd r u m m o u n t e d i n m y
those metal tabletopfastenersinstead. d r i l lo r e s s .
tr a
Resurrs
J Grnsrrv Srarrurruc I LearurncBoorcasE oF Prsa
ir'i r
1r4 f
E]; :1
:r'i".1
w2 Yes! l've completedmy project! I'm
glad I chose white pine. lt makes my
Nothing can go wrong, I thought
while gluing my bookcase together,

W
shop smell great,it's easy to work with
and it'll look great after a coat of this
walnut stain. Aaakk! Where did those
horrible dark blotches come from? |
guess should have read the directions
d:Jl ? on the can. I had no ideathat I was sup-
d';,
because all of the shelves are dadoed
i n t ot h e u p r i g h t s .
But now, with the bookcase stand-
i n g a g a i n s t h e w a l l , I ' v et r i e ds q u i n t i n g ,
c o c k i n gm y h e a da n d s w a y i n gb a c ka n d
forth. Nothing helps-my bookcase

posedto sealthe wood beforestaining. d e f i n i t e l yl i s t s .I s h o u l dh a v em a d e s u r e

n ome woodworking blunders have t h e c a s e w a s s q u a r ed u r i n g m y g l u e -
\u..., made so often and by so .t Tne No-Go Jorrur u p , b y m e a s u r i n gt h e d i a g o n a l s .
IJ-uny that they're classics.You're Hmm, these mortise-and-tenon
6
probably familiar with most of them- joints are tight, but they go together if O Two Lerrs AREN'r RrcHr
through firsthand experience! Here are I p u s h h a r d e n o u g h .G l u e s h o u l dh e l p , I've routed hinge mortises in the
'cause
10 classic gaffes, up close and (maybe i t ' l l m a k e t h i n g ss l i p p e r y . cabinet and both doors of my project.
too) personal. What? Now the joints won't go T h e l e f t d o o r f i t s b e a u t i f u l l ya n d t h e
t o g e t h e r a t a l l . I d i d n ' t r e a l i z et h a t r i g h td o o r f i t s . . . u p s i d e
downl Oh, my

10 Classic wood glue could cause enough

swelling to affect the way joints fit. l'l
gosh, I routed the mortises on the
wrong edge of the door.
Woodworking need a hammer to get these to go. Oh I s h o u l dh a v e l a i dt h e d o o r s s i d e b y

Goofs no! | had to whack pretty hardand now

l've split the mortises.What a mess.
s i d e a n d m a r k e dt h e o u t e r s t i l e sb e f o r e
I r o u t e d .l t ' s a g o o dt h i n g I d i d n ' tp r e d r i l l
h o l e sf o r t h e k n o b s !
t F
I THe Too-SnoRT BoARD C Spur Enos
Rats!My straightedge
isn't long Wow! Thesedrywallscrewsare :t CoururensuNK!
e n o u g h t o m e a s u r et h e l e n g t h o f t h i s great. They drive through wood like justless
Ahl Thesescrewsprotrude
important cut, and I can't depend on n o b o d y ' sb u s i n e s sa n d t h e y ' r es o t h i n , than 3/4 in. through the countersunk
the hook end of my tape measureto be I don't even need to drill pilot holes. o i l o th o l e sl ' v e d r i l l e di n t h e w e b f r a m e .
p r e c i s e .H m m - l ' v e g o t i t l l ' l l m e a s u r e They'll be perfect for strengthening They'll be perfect for fasteningthe top
'1-in.
from the mark on the tape. t h i s c o r n e rb u t t j o i n t . to this chest of drawers.Oh-oh,they're
What a great solution-my cutline Boy, was I wrong! | just split both g o i n g i n a l i t t l ed e e p e rt h a n I e x p e c t e o .
was dead on the mark and my saw cut boards-the edge of one and the end Ackl They've gone all the way through
is nice and square. And my perfectly grain on the other. I guess I shoulo the top! I guessI made thosecounter-
c u t p i e c e f i t s . , . a r g h !l t ' s t o o s h o r t , a n h a v ed r i l l e dp i l o t h o l e s ,a f t e r a l l . s i n k st o o d e e p .
i n c ht o s h o r t ! l
My b e a u t i fu l b q a r d i s u s e l e s s O Blowrrr Awev I 0 r"r sunneeusrcFrrursn
bec aus eI me a s u re dfro m th e l've rough-sawn the arch into this When I brushedpolyurethaneon my
1- in.m arka n d fo rg o tto a d d th a t w h i t e o a k b l a n k ,a f f i x e da r o u t i n gt e m - a r m o i r e ,i t s u r e d i d n ' t s e e m l i k e I w a s
inc ht o t h e o v e ra l e
l n g thl.f o n l yI' d p l a t e a n d c h u c k e da f l u s h - t r i mb i t i n t o puttingon too much. But now, a half
double-checked the actu- my router. Now to smooth the h o u r l a t e r ,t h e f i n i s h s a g s l i k e t h e d i s -
ffio al length l'd marked c u r v e . . . .Y e o w ! M y r o u t e r ' s s p i t t i n g torted pocket watches in Salvador
\:l b e fo retc u t. c h u n k so f w o o d ! D a l i ' sf a m o u s p a i n t i n g s ./ W

THr Floon ls Operu...

Was your Hall-of-Fame-worthy woodworking blunder overlooked? Write-ins are accepted! You'll receive $100 for each one we print. Send your nornina-
tions to AW Oops!, American Woodworker, 2915 Commers llrive, Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55121, or e.mail oops@readersdigest.com. Submissions can't
be returned and become AW's property upon acceptance and paynnent. We may edit submissions and use them in all print and electronic media.

96 American Woodworker JANUARY 2oo5